Someone Better
by theonewhosawitall
Summary: The day Marinette plucked up the courage to ask Adrien on a date was the same say she got her heart completely and utterly shattered. But talking to Chat Noir really put things into prospective for her. It was time to move on from Adrien, which is easier than it sounds. Less though for Adrien, because now, he found himself head over heels for a girl that doesn't love him anymore.
1. Chapter 1

Alya rubbed Marinette's shoulders like a boxing coach before his fighter gets in the ring. Marinette was focusing on her breathing. Mostly on remembering how to breathe. Today was a big day. Today was _the_ big day. Today she asked out Adrien. To say it was nerve racking was underselling it. She and Alya had been preparing for this moment, this exact moment, for at least a month now. it was ten seconds that would make or break Marinette's entire year.  
It wasn't nerve racking.  
it was heart stopping.  
Alya was just as nervous as Marinette, because of how much of this could be pinned on her. Marinette would never have gotten to this point without her. whatever happened now, it was Alya's fault. She was willing to take that pain. She had three "family" sized chocolate bars and a full-sized box of tissues in her bag, just in case something went wrong. She was too nervous for breakfast, so if this went well, she would eat one bar alone. But she kept her cool on the outside. Marinette needed that.

"Just remember to breathe, and remember one sentence. "Will you go to the cinema with me?" Eight words. One order. You can do it. Say it now," Alya said.

"Will you go to the cinema with me?" Marinette repeated, anxiously.

"Excellent, excellent. You're ready for this girl. Try not to freak. If you feel yourself bugging out, breath through it," Alya said.

Marinette squealed, "There he is!"

"I believe in you," Alya said.

"Thanks Alya. I love you."

"I love you too girl. Are you ready?"

"Y-yeah."

"Breath through it. I'll be right here if you need me."

Marinette stood up, and took that deep breath. The video they'd been watching was for controlling birthing pains, so she sounded slightly pregnant as she did them. Alya did not point this out. She was too smart for that. From behind the tree where she was hiding Alya could hear Marinette. Her voice was low and anxious between the breathing.

"Will you go to the cinema with me, will you go to the cinema with me, will you go to the cinema with me-"

Marinette had practiced and practiced and practiced. They had gone through every single scenario they could think of from him full on kissing her immediately, to an akuma cooking her alive as revenge for something she hadn't actually done. Alya had a funeral playlist on her phone, and a speak to make at her funeral, explaining how if there was one thing she regretted, it was never being able to tell Adrien she loved him.  
They were more than just prepared. They were over prepared.  
Scouts would look at them and think "maybe you didn't need to worry about that" but still. it was good to be prepared. It made them feel like they were in control for a while. Because the moment that question left Marinette's mouth, they were no longer in control of anything. and that was enough to make Alya's heart beat faster.  
Alya peered around the edge of the tree to watch Marinette gingerly approach Adrien. He was staring down at his phone, and glancing around to try and see Nino. He would never have seen him. Nino had just appeared beside Alya, making her jump.

"Hey why are you snooping through trees, what's going on?" He asked.

Alya hit him for making her jump, and then beamed at him. her eyes were terrified, but her beam was full of pride. Her voice was both. Proud as punch, but shaking with nerve.

"Marinette's doing it."

"doing what?"

"asking Adrien out."

Nino's eyes widened, and his stomach dropped. He knew something they didn't. something that would make Alya feel a lot less in control.

"Asking Adrien out? Today?" Nino groaned under his breath, "I wish you'd called."

Alya stared at him in alarm. She was terrifying when she looked at him like that. her tone was like fire, and it did not help.

"Why?"

Nino winced at the tone, and admitted to her as if he were confessing his sins, "He spent the night with Chloe last night."

"What?!" Alya cried.

This was a spanner in the works that they hadn't anticipated. One that made Alya cold with fear and burn with rage at the same time. Marinette was going to be heart broken. When Alya was done with him, Adrien was going to be bone broken.

Nino threw a hand over her mouth urgently, and hissed, "Shh! Not like that!"

Alya scowled and yanked his hand away from her mouth. she hissed, low and furious, "Then like what?!"

"She called him up and said she was missing her mother and he was the only one who would understand, and the girl's like an octopus! Any time you try to get away she grows a new arm. he couldn't escape!"

"So he didn't get a lot of sleep?" She asked, urgently.

"And he woke up wearing pink make up. And he's in yesterday's clothes, he missed a photoshoot so his fathers angry, and he's been alone so long he still doesnt understand enough social cues to convey any of that without being mildly rude," Nino explained.

"Which Marinette's going to take as being brutally honest and let it destroy her," Alya groaned.

Nino nodded, visibly pained. "I really wish you'd called."

It was too late for that now. Alya glanced over at Marinette. She was practically beside Adrien already. The girl was shaking with nerve and ringing the strap of her bag anxiously. Alya knew how she felt. She felt it in the pit of her empty stomach. Suddenly she was glad she hadn't had breakfast.

"If we call her back now she'll lose all nerve! She wont ever get here again!" Alya complained.

"Let's just hope Adrien is better than we give him credit for. He's grown up around emotionally unstable models, he must have seen how to let them down easy," Nino said.

"He doesnt know Mari is emotionally unstable because we've been hiding it from him!" Alya complained again.

Nino's face fell. "He's doomed."

"Screw him, _she's_ doomed!"

"We're the ones who will have to deal with it."

"We're doomed."

Tikki stayed low in Marinette's hoodie to stay out of view. She was so nervous on Marinette's behalf that she was shaking too. Marinette was taking those anxious breaths still. Her focus was on breathing and talking, so she didn't take in the way Adrien looked. Exhausted, and slightly annoyed at being awake. If she had, maybe things would have turned out differently.

"Hey, Adrien?" Her voice shook slightly.

"Marinette have you seen Nino?" Adrien asked.

"Ni- um, no, but-" Marinette stammered.

Adrien huffed. "I can't find him anywhere."

Marinette stammered slightly again, losing her nerve. She focused on breathing again, and dug down deep to find that part of her that was Ladybug, with and without the mask. It eased her nerve enough to remember what to say, but her voice still shook as she blurted out as fast as she possibly could:

" ** _Willyougotothecinemawithme?!"_**

Adrien looked at her, confused. She had blurred the words together, and he wasn't sure when she had said. He was too tired to figure it out, so he tilted his head at head like a cat.

"Huh?"

She blushed intensely immediately, and forgot how to talk. She was fairly sure he wouldn't be able to hear her over her thumping hear anyway.

"You um, cinema, with err… with - with me?"

Adrien seemed distracted again. he was glancing around for Nino instead of listening, and answered unfazed, "Oh, err, yeah sure, tomorrow maybe."

She gasped in delighted surprise. Imagine the joy and shock she felt. Happiest moment of her life. she was going to go on a date with Adrien Agreste! _The_ Adrien Agreste! Love of her life, joy of her heart, man of her dreams, Mr Perfect! All of the above and more. And now they were going on their first date!

"R-really?!" she grinned, her face fading to pink rather than beetroot.

Adrien shrugged, really blaze about this. "Yeah, sure, with Nino and Alya yeah? Nino's dying to see some movie about-"

her face fell. "Oh, err, no, actually I meant more like a err... like a – sorta like a um… a d-date?"

She bowed her head again, the blush growing more intense. Adrien finally focused on her, instead of glancing around for Nino too. He frowned at her, more confused than anything else. His mind was still slightly blurry from the long night of being treated like the favourite teddy bear of a spoilt infant. The pause was less than a second but an eon passed by in it. Tikki buried her head in her hands nervously.

"A date? With you?" He stammered.

She shifted uncomfortably. "I mean, um..."

He looked just as uncomfortable. "Oh, no offence Marinette, but you're not…"

 _Ladybug. You're not Ladybug._

But he wasn't about to say that. It was difficult to talk to someone you liked, really liked, and she had at least tried, which was more than he could bring himself to do with Ladybug. But he didn't love her. he couldn't love anyone but his Ladybug. So he'd have to let her down as gently as he could. While slightly annoyed that he had spent the night with Chloe, very annoyed he couldn't find Nino, slightly uncomfortable in this situation, and too tired to think of a decent lie.  
The odds were not on his side.

"You're not really… my type."

Her heart dropped. Tikki's did too. Each one sat side by side on the ground, barely beating, and close to breaking. Marinette stared at him like a deer in headlights. The happiest moment of her life had been snatched from under her like a rug, and now, for a moment, she was in free fall, unaware of the pain that was about to hit.  
In some ways, it would be better never to land. But you have to feel the pain to move on from it. otherwise how do you know what you have to move on from?

"I... I'm not?" She stammered.

Adrien shrugged, and fought back a yawn. "Not really."

"I..."

Marinette felt a white-hot pain growing in the centre of her chest, and a ball forming in her throat. From her space behind the tree Alya could see it was going poorly. She knew her friend needed her. _Now_. without a word to Nino, or an explanation for why she was in the bushes, she went dashing to her friends aid like a white knight.

"Marinette! There you are! Hey girl!"

Despite Alya offering her a way out, Marinette was ready to argue. She ignored her best friend. that white hot ball was anger, and the ball in her throat was the pain. Marinette had a choice, to fight, or fly. She went for the fight.

"What's your type then? Blonde, rich and spoiled like Chloe?" Marinette spat.

"Urgh, no," he reeled back in disgust.

Neither of them actually noticed Nino appearing. When Alya appeared she called out, grabbed Marinette by the shoulders, and tried to steer her away. unlike Alya, he didn't touch Adrien as he tried to guide him away from the argument he was about to enter. He just talked calmly to try and keep the peace.

"Come on now, we all have types, let's not get into who fits into them and who doesn't," he said.

"Let me guess, she's a model. She lets you choose what you're going to do together, even if she doesn't like it, so you think she's fun. she makes you feel smart even when you're wrong because she won't call you out when you are-"

"No!"

"Marinette you should let it go-"

Marinette pushed Alya aside, "Maybe she's smart then. Smart and pretty. Maybe kind? Let's put in brave too so we know she's cool. Smart, pretty, kind, brave, cool, and _way_ out of your league, so you're busy pining after this girl you've never mentioned before-"

"Seriously Marinette this isn't going to end well!"

"Listen to Alya Marinette! Let this good, please!"

"or maybe she doesn't even exist and you're too chicken to say you couldn't like someone like me because that would mean admitting you're more like Chloe than you think!"

Adrien reeled backwards, shocked by how harsh she could be. he had only ever seen her treat Chloe like that. he never picked being on the receiving end. Tears stung at the corners of Marinette's eyes. the ball in her throat was taking over from the pain in her chest, and she wanted to run.

"Honestly Marinette I like someone else. I don't even think of you like that, I couldn't!"

Nino groaned under his breath. "Oh dude..."

"you're more like... my nerdy little sister!"

"Adrien don't."

Marinette bowed her head, closing her eyes so a tear escaped down her cheek. She was white as a sheet now, and her hands were cold, but her face was burning.

"I'm sorry but that's just the way it is. I love someone else, and she's smart and brave and gorgeous, and out of my league, but she makes me want to be better. You… don't. she's better…" Adrien muttered.

 ** _R-I-I-I-IP_** went Marinette's heart. From the new tear, her blood gushed up towards her cheeks. Marinette took a step back, out of Alya's grip, and away from Adrien. Alya's hand covered her mouth in shock. Even Nino was at a loss for words. The tears ran down her blood red cheeks, making her nose run too.

She choked out, "That's... that's fine... I'm… pleased for you that's… that's... _I'm sorry_!"

Despite Alya trying to reach out and stop her, Marinette ran away from Adrien as fast as she could. Her nose ran a marathon, and mixed with her tears, making her face blotchy and terrible. She ran around the corner of the school, out of sight.

"Mari - Marinette! Oh..." Alya scowled and turned to glare at Adrien. "Nice job Agreste!"

Nino sighed as Alya raced off after Marinette. She vanished around the back of the school after her. Marinette laid her head against the cold brick wall, and sobbed so hard her entire body shook. Tikki hovered in the gap between Marinette's arms and face for a moment. Then she nuzzled against Marinette's collarbone. Her own sparkling tears glistened like they held glitter as they ran down Marinette's chest. She felt every feeble beat of her heart, behind every aching sob.  
Alya laid a hand between her shoulder blades. She pulled her gently away from the wall, and wrapped her arms around her. Marinette ended up pressed against Alya's shoulder, so Tikki slipped down into Marinette's shirt to be out of the way. Marinette leaned heavily against Alya, and sobbed dramatically into her shoulder. She choked through the ball in her throat, but it still made it hard to breathe. Alya held Marinette up, with an arm around her back, and another around her shoulder to lay her hand against Marinette's hair. Her hair ran across Alya's face, but she stayed there, still, stroking Marinette's hair gently. None of them said a word. They didn't need to. All of it was there, in the hug. Everything that needed to be understood, was.  
Tikki sat between them, like a warm ball keeping them together. A warm, glowing heart, to replace the broken one.

Meanwhile, Adrien gave Nino a puzzled look. "What'd she mean by that?"

Nino opened his mouth to reply, but had no idea how to explain, so he shut it again. how could he explain that, even though the way Marinette talked to him was wrong, he made it so much worse than it needed to be. he couldn't. instead, he shrugged.

"Let's just get to class."

He pulled her headphones back over his ears, and started heading back towards the school building.

"What's up with everyone today?!" Adrien asked Plagg.

Plagg's ears were flat on his head and he sighed deeply. "I'll tell you later."

Adrien was no less puzzled. He didn't understand what he'd done to cause Alya to give him the stink eye when she and Marinette came into the classroom either. All of it was lost on him. No one talked to him in more than two words answers until he and Plagg were alone.

"Way to go Romeo," Plagg said, sarcastically.

"what happened?" Adrien asked.

"you took out your anger for Chloe, on Marinette," Plagg said.

Adrien frowned. "what?! No I didn't!"

"you told her you could never love her because she was like your nerdy sister."

"She is though!"

"You said you love someone better."

"I do!"

"Imagine if Ladybug said that to you."

Adrien was silent as he imagined that. His face fell as he felt his heart ache desperately. Now he understood what he had done. Alya was defending her friend. He was coming between Nino and Alya. He had broken Marinette's heart. No wonder everyone was mad at him.

"oh… oh no."


	2. Chapter 2

As bad as it was at school, patrol with Ladybug was worse. No one was talking to him at school except Nino, but the bad mood seemed to spread to Ladybug. She was being catty, and didn't even smile when he mentioned it like that. ("I know you love me, but I'd prefer if you wouldn't become me." "What?" "Well I'm supposed to be the catty one, aren't I?" "Shut up Chat.") She was deeply annoyed about something that kept making her snap at him over little things. Insignificant things. He tried to take it like a champ, but he soon reached the end of his string.

"Ladybug wait up!" He reached out and grabbed her arm.

She shoved him off, and huffed at him in the same tone she huffed at Chloe when the Evillustratior was after her.

"Can't you just leave me alone Chat! God you're so clingy!" She snarled.

That one cut deep. She had been harsh with him a lot today ("I can't believe I'll be stuck with you for 9 lives!" "I wish I was allergic to cats so I wouldn't have to be here." "One of these days I'm going to give up my miraculous get to get away from all this!") but this one was too much. He was visibly hurt by that one and, for a moment at least, Ladybug didn't even seem to care.

"Clingy?" He repeated, hurt.

"Yes! Clingy! Let go of my arm once in a while for a change! You're supposed to be a hero, not a sidekick, act like one!" She shouted.

"Marinette!" Tikki gasped.

Chat Noir took a step backwards, shocked by the sharpness of her shout. Her sharp tone was terrible. He had never seen her angry before and he felt like a scolded child.

"Ladybug..."

The misery in his tone flooded her with guilt. Ladybug bowed her head and clenched her fists. She was letting heartbreak get in the way of her duty. Taking out her pain on the wrong person. That wasn't fair.

"I didn't mean that. Sorry," she muttered.

Even apologising ached. She had to apologise to everyone lately. Chat frowned with concern. Whatever this was, it was bad. Worse than bad. It was awful. And it hurt him to see her like this. Hesitantly, he stepped forwards, back towards her. He half expected her to shout again. In the quiet of the night, this high above the city, her voice was loud.

He countered it, as quietly as he could. "What's wrong LB?"

She shrugged and shook her head, miserably. "It doesn't matter."

She raised her right arm to hold her upper left arm, like she always did when she was upset or nervous. He hadn't seen her do that for a long time, but it was the same feeling then. This strange kind of guilt and pain. None of that had been her fault. He didn't know about this. He wasn't sure what was going on at all. Honestly, he was a little afraid to ask, but it had to be done. Ladybug was his partner. He had to trust her, so she had to trust him. Didn't she?

He licked his lips, nervously. "Ladybug... you can take out your anger on me if you want. I don't mind if it makes you feel better. but you have to tell me why. I deserve to know."

Ladybug heaved a sigh so heavily that all of her joins loosened, and she lost about an inch of height. Her head drooped too, and her chest ached sharply all over again. She still had her back to him, so he couldn't see the pain welling in her eyes again.

"I'm listening," he whispered.

That stupid cat. Stupid cat with his stupid promises and his stupid big heart that always seemed to be in the right place. He could break her open even when Alya couldn't. She loved Alya, yes, but she _trusted_ Chat Noir beyond all else. Which meant so much more than anything. Again, she sighed. She really didn't mean to hurt him. She really didn't mean to hurt Adrien either. Things were just a little too much for her at the moment. It hurt her as much as it hurt them. Worse even. It just added to the guilt.  
And Chat was right.  
He deserved to know the truth.

"If..."

She gulped back the tears that suddenly tried to flow out of her eyes because she had fought back the ball. She trusted Chat. She knew he was listening, even if she didn't turn back to look at him. Marinette knew he was listening. He wasn't going anywhere until he knew.

"If I told you... that when I wasn't Ladybug... I was small, and anxious, and it took me a year to build up enough confidence to talk to a boy… would you think less of me?"

Chat gulped. A boy? She was coming to him for relationship advice? Fantastic. But there was fear in her voice. He didn't know why, but she needed this. Needed to know he wouldn't think less of her. Because out of everyone on earth, he meant most to her. The truth just came flowing out.

"Well I can't actually imagine you being too nervous to do anything, my lady... but I know how hard it is to talk to someone you like," he said.

"Yeah well. Doesnt matter anymore," she sighed.

Adrien raised his head, hopefully, but tried to keep his voice controlled, "He turned you down?"

There was something about the way she said it. kind of like a resigned sigh, like it was obvious, but still hurt. Unavoidable, but painful.

"Yep."

Her lips smacked together as she said it, which echoed around them for a moment. He knew he should feel bad, but he couldn't. it was all he could do not to grin. He was glad she wasn't looking at him, because he couldn't get rid of that smug smirk no matter how hard he tried. The boy she liked, the boy who could steal her away from him, gave her up. That boy, whoever he was, was an idiot. He forced the joy out of his voice to continue talking to her.

"I'm sorry," he said.

She sighed again, apathetically. "Whatever."

Ladybug sat down on the edge of the rooftop. She gazed out over her city. Paris. The city of lights. The city of love. You'd think romance would be easy in a city like that. A city made for love like this… but nothings ever easy.  
Silently, Chat sat down beside her. One knee up by his chin, and his other leg dangling over the edge of the roof. For a long, lingering moment, they just sat there. Together.  
She wanted to tell him everything, but she didn't want to say it. he wanted to know it all, but he didn't want to ask. it would hurt so much to know she loved someone else, but he couldn't let it go. he had to ask. well, curiosity did kill the cat, didn't it?

"What did he say?" chat asked, softly.

"He said that I was... that he…" Ladybug couldn't bring herself to repeat it, so growled under her breath instead, and threw little pebbles from the ground, off of the roof, frustrated. "I don't even care! It's not like I ever thought we could actually be together! He's always around the prettiest models in the world, and he doesn't know how handsome he is, so he's humble and nice, and every time I try to talk to him I mess up and trip over my tongue! Or I have to run away because there's a damn akuma and I have to save Paris, so I don't get to spend time with him!"

"You think hawkmoth was trying to keep you apart?"

"maybe. Maybe I should have listened to Hawkmoth. He could have saved me from this broken heart."

Ladybug dropped her arm and sniffed. Chat glanced over. He saw her rub the back of her hand over her mask to rub away the tears. Chat Noir flexed his claws angrily, and balled his fists up so tight he felt his claws dig into his palm. Whoever this boy was, he made his lady cry. He hurt her. That angered him more than he ever thought possible. How dare this stranger hurt his love? How dare he push her away? What _idiot_ did this? all he wanted to do was find out who this idiot was, and let him know how stupid he was. how he'd thrown away the best thing that was ever going to happen to him. that everything he ever wanted, all of his dreams, the girl of his dreams, had told him she liked him, and he hurt her so deeply she cried. Then Chat became keenly aware that she was crying. Paris lights glinted in her tears. It could have been beautiful, if he wasn't so angry on her behalf.

"I'm sorry Ladybug," was all he could think to say.

"I was so angry… hurt and angry. So rude to him… I can't believe I did that. I said he was like – I need to say sorry," she sighed.

Chat frowned, his ears sharp and pointed angrily for her. "But he hurt you! He hurt you so much you're here, crying, to me! Me! You don't even know me."

She gave him a weak smile and he nudged his leg with her own, affectionately. "but I trust you. I know you'd never hurt me, and I know you'll never tell anyone what I said, even if it's just because it'll force you to tell people you're chat."

"I'd never tell anyone, because you don't want me to. Not because it'd risk people finding out who I am," he was deadly serious.

"I know. Thank you for that," she smiled.

"You don't have to thank me," he said.

"I know."

There was a long pause, slightly more cheerful than it had been, but after a moment or two, Ladybug sank back down into feeling sorry for herself.

"Do you know what I hate most?" She asked, quietly.

He shook his head and his bell jingled. "What?"

"Now things will be awkward. He won't want to spend time together because I was dumb enough to love him, and Aly- um, my friend, she's so mad at him for hurting me that she wont talk to him, which is going to hurt his best friend, because he loves her, but he'll stick with him because it ends up being girls against boys again!"

Ladybug groaned angrily. More angry at herself than at anything else. Chat Noir watched her, curiously. She seemed so disappointed in herself for hurting him. The boy who hurt her. Even though he hurt her she loved him enough to be angry at herself. He couldn't help feeling a little more in love with her.  
Who else would feel bad that they couldn't just go back to being friends when their crush broke their hearts?

"He didn't have any friends for years. They mean so much to him..."

"I known the feeling," he muttered.

He was being honest. Those silly friends of his, Nino and Alya and Marinette, meant so much to him. _so_ _much_. He loved them. But not enough. Not like that. He hurt Marinette. That hurt him. Now they weren't talking to him, he valued them even more than he had before. For some reason Ladybug thought he was being sarcastic.

"I mean it Chat! He was so lonely before we met, and now he's going to lose friends because I was so..." she screwed up her face angrily, "I was so _selfish_!"

She buried her face in her hands angrily and growled, which turned into a sad groan. Then she started crying again. He could hear the little sobs and shaking breath before he saw the tears. Through her fingers he could see that her face had gone red. Now she matched her mask. She was an ugly crier and somehow that made him want to help her more.

his heart ached for her.

"Hey! Hey stop that!"

Chat wrapped his arms around her. She didn't push away. Chat was at a funny angle, so when he pulled her closer, her head landed against his chest. He caught his breath softly as she did, and he froze. There was an agonisingly long pause before Ladybug moved her hand up to pull him closer. Again, he caught his breath, but now she was permitting him to be close, he eased himself around her. Cradling her close. Ladybug could just hear his heart beating, over the sound of her gasping between quiet sobs. His claws curled through her hair, fiddling with the little red ribbons in her bunches. It tickled, and her breath shook against his chest, warm, and soft. Neither were sure if it was a cry or a chuckle. Chat hesitantly laid his head against hers. She didn't pull away then either. He fought back a purr. This close, he didn't need to raise his voice much above a whisper for her to hear him and to focus on his words.

"Listen... it's not selfish to want to be loved. Falling in love is never selfish. You're the most selfless person I know, you give up your time and risk your life for Paris day in day out, and you're wonderful! Wonderful and kind and beautiful. I promise you bugaboo, you're not selfish."

Maybe it was because she could hear his heart, or maybe it was because she felt his arms around her so protectively that she knew she was safe even on this ledge, or maybe it was just because it was him, but Marinette felt safe with Chat. Safe and protected. When he spoke, his voice rumbled in his chest, which was more soothing than what he actually said.

"Don't put yourself down Ladybug. You're perfect. Don't forget it."

"Then why can't he see it kitty?" She whispered.

"Because he's an idiot," he said, firmly.

."Chat-" Ladybug tried to pull away and defend him but Chat moved his hand to her shoulder and held her firmly

"He is. If he turned you away he isn't good enough for you. Find someone who is."

 _me, find me, please, I'm right here, find me!_

She felt his claws tighten gently in her hair. He wanted to claim her for his own. He wanted her to see herself in his eyes. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted her to forget about this boy. This boy who hurt her this badly. To kiss her so hard, and so passionately, that he was the only boy in her mind. That he was the only thing in her mind. He wanted to prove to her that she was loved. Loved vividly. By him. But if he couldn't do that, he could at least be there for her when she needed him.

Ladybug sniffed quietly. "You're right..."

As proud as he was that she was listening to him, he was disappointed that she pulled away from him. He was enjoying the weight of her head against his chest.

"I need to just get over Adrien," she sighed.

Wait... who? Chat raised his head slowly, eyes wide. It couldn't be... she couldn't mean... there had to be hundreds of Adrien's in Paris, right? She didn't mean...

"Adrien?" He repeated.

She wiped her eyes on her arm and looked out towards the city once again, renewed with hope. "I'll have a girls' night. Yes. we can ignore the boys, and I'll complain and scream and shout and kick this all out of my system, and then I'll walk right up to Adrien-"

There it was again! Adrien! Someone named Adrien had broken her heart! Could it possibly be... could he dare to believe...  
Chat Noir had to know.

"Adrien who?!"

Ladybug ignored him, and continued, "And I'll say to him, I don't want things to be awkward. I value our friendship, and I know because with everything you have been through with your mother, and how your father is so busy all the time, that you need your friends. I want to be there for you platonically if you need me. So can we move through the awkwardness and put this dumb crush behind us?" She glanced over at Chat Noir, "What'd you think?"

"Adrien who?!" Chat couldn't hold it back.

Ladybug huffed, "Chat! What do you think?"

Chat Noir threw his arms in the air helplessly. This wasn't what he wanted to talk about. "I don't know what to say Ladybug! He's an idiot for giving up the chance to date you, I can't imagine he's smart enough to understand the honour it is to be your friend. I can't imagine he's worth it."

There wasn't even a pause for breath between him finishing speaking and Ladybug arguing with him.

"Oh, he is," Ladybug said, firmly, "He's perfect."

Chat Noir's heart tightened. His ears flattened back against his head and his tail drooped. This wasn't fair. How do you fight with perfect? Chat Noir was a lot of things, but he wasn't perfect.

he wasn't even close enough for a contest. But she didn't notice. She smiled at him, a soft smile that even half an hour ago seemed impossible ever to do again.

"Thank you kitty. I knew I could rely on you."

Ladybug put her hand on his arm and pulled him closer, and leaned up to kiss his cat ears gently. His cheeks turned pink under his mask. She laid her head against his arm, and he lost the ability to talk. He just froze up like a love-struck statue. Ladybug and Chat Noir sat there, together, her head on his arm, her lip gloss on his ear, watching the sun rise behind the Eiffel Tower.

Ladybug was tired now. Barely awake on his arm. Chat Noir was wide awake and hotly aware of how she was touching him. Close as two peas in a pod. Until her earrings beeped.

"But you haven't used the lucky charm," he said.

She chuckled gently. "Tikki's letting me know it's time to leave. I've got school in five hours and I need some sleep."

"Really?" He whined.

"Goodnight kitty. Well, good morning. And thanks for everything," she ruffled his hair between his ears.

Chat Noir watched her swoop off away from their roof top, over towards the other side of the city, and away from him. He gave a dreamy sigh.

What idiot would let her go?


	3. Chapter 3

Adrien slammed the car door shut behind him. He glanced around for Nino. At the top of the steps he spotted Alya and Marinette. For a second her beautiful sapphire blues met his dazzling emeralds, and he forced a week smile. She immediately looked away, and Alya put a protective arm around her, dragging her towards the school again. She shot him a lethal look. His heart sank. When he set his mind on going to public school, he didn't imagine it being this hard. He yanked his bag up his shoulder and put on a brave face.

"Listen kid, I know girls. Give Marinette some space to breath, avoid the glasses girl- like the plague, which incidentally wasn't my fault no matter what Trixx says-"

Adrien stared at him. "What?"

Plagg but a paw on either side of his head. "Avoid Alya! Marinette will forgive you because she has a soft spot for you. Alya will not forgive you even if you marry Marinette, because you hurt her. Girl groups are deadly and right now, you're their prime target."

Adrien nodded obediently and pulled Plagg off of his face, "Thanks Plagg, you really know how to make me feel better."

From the safety of Adrien's jacket, Plagg added, "If things get tough, think of Ladybug."

Now that was helpful. Adrien squared his shoulders back, took a deep breath, and took to the school corridor as if it was his father's runway. He hated every second of it here too. Especially since no one was talking to him still.

Meanwhile, Alya and Marinette wandered down the hallways down towards their classroom, and Alya was not happy. She was outraged on Marinette's behalf.

"Just because he's a model he thinks he can get away with anything," she huffed. Marinette said nothing. Alya complained enough for two. "Why didn't you answer your phone last night by the way? I called you like a billion times because I thought you were gonna be akumatized!"

They stopped walking for a moment so Alya could put her hands on her hips and look like a scandalised mother. Marinette already had a lie formed about that when she received all fifty-seven texts.

"I wanted to be alone," Marinette shrugged.

 _Alone. but with Chat._

Alya pulled a face, "Yeah, I get that, but you could have texted."

"Sorry. I promise next time I get my heart broken, I'll text you to let you know I haven't been akumatized," Marinette promised.

Alya smirked. "That's all I ask."

Alya linked her arm through Marinette's and they wandered down the corridor again.

"All I ask is one thing,"

"Anything. Name it,"

"I want a girl's night. Tomorrow if possible,"

"How about a sleep over tonight? My dad's watching a monkey at the zoo, ones about to give birth, and the girls are visiting nana with mum this weekend. I'll stay behind, it'll be perfect!"

"Will you get into trouble?"

"Nah, what's the worst that could happen?"

Nino checked his phone when it beeped and put it back down after reading something he clearly didn't think was worth sharing.

"Hey dude, wanna hang tonight?" He asked Adrien.

"Aren't you hanging out with Alya?" Adrien asked.

Nino shrugged. "Nah. she's hanging out with Marinette. Some kind of girl's night. Apparently Marinette's still hurting because..."

Nino trailed off and looked down, away from Adrien. Adrien felt a heavier weight on his shoulders.

"Because of me?"

Nino wrinkled his nose. "Yeah..."

"Do... Do you think I was too cruel?" Adrien asked, quietly.

Nino's heart missed a beat. He bit his lip nervously. "Um... honestly?"

The weight from Adrien's shoulders thumped against his chest, "Oh God I was?! Do you think she'll ever forgive me?"

Immediately Nino nodded. "Yes. Marinette forgives quickly. You gotta apologise first though. Come over tonight and we'll work on it."

"What about Alya?"

A short but awkward paused followed by a sharp change in subject answer that for him.

"Wait until tonight. Then we'll have time to work on it."

Alix, Mylene, Rose, Juleka, Alya and Marinette gathered in Alya's house, ready for their sleep over. Alya filled the table with chocolate bars, gummy bears, marshmallows and other sweets that had to be pulled apart with your teeth, the ice cream was in the freezer and pizza was on the way. Marinette had brought a large tray of gooey, warm, melt in the mouth brownies.  
The girls were already in their pyjamas, and they were standing on either side of a race track between the window on the far wall, and the door on the other. Currently, Alix and Rose were using pillow cases as sacks for a sack race. Alix slipped and went crashing head first towards the ground, but she threw her arm out across the finish line, and still won. The neighbours complained about the cheering, so they couldn't play sack races again. It was fun while it lasted though.

"Pizzas here!"

Alya walked in with five boxes and placed them on the table with the other food. Almost instantly each box was snatched up, and each girl gathered in a large circle. Alix perched on the edge of the sofa, Mylene was cross legged on the floor, leaning against the sofa, Juleka was sitting neatly on a chair, Rose was sat on a cushion beside her, Alya was kneeling to make sure everyone had enough to eat, and Marinette was laying on her belly, with her elbows on the cushion. To be honest, eating was already making her feel better. Tikki beamed with pride at her and the other girls. She was hiding up in the pot plants on the windowsill, but watching how they played together. When Alix fell there were cheers, sure, she had just won, but all of them, Rose included, hurried over to ensure she was ok. And the pizza? They kept trading slices if someone wanted a particular topping, even though they were individual pizzas. Not to mention they were only here because Marinette asked them for support! These girls were the kind and supportive, sweet girls that everyone needed. They were so lucky to have each other. Tikki wondered if they knew that.

"What'll we do now?" Mylene asked.

"Truth or dare!" Alix beamed.

"Yeah!"

Alya found and old bottle to spin, so no one had to choose if they wanted to go first or not. She placed it in the centre of the circle (after everyone moved their boxes out of the way that is) and twisted it so it twirled past each of them. It was a nerve racking few seconds. Each of them dreaded the bottle landing on them. The tension was almost unbearable.

Spin...

Spin...

Spin...

Rose.

She squeaked in alarm. That evil glint that Alya and Alix shared didn't help. Fortunately, she had Mylene and Marinette and Juleka to keep them in line.

"Truth or dare?" Alya asked.

"Um... truth," Rose said, uncertainly.

"Who kissed first, you or Juleka?" Alya asked immediately.

That one was a good question. Everyone was ready for a real answer to that. Neither of them ever wanted to talk about it, because they didn't want to do it behind the others back, and they didn't want to say in front of the other, because that felt sappy. This time, they were getting their answers. Even when Rose turned tomato red and hid behind her knees.

"It was... it was me..."

As the girls squealed, Juleka laced her fingers through Rose's, supportively, and Rose smiled back at her with more gratitude than Marinette had ever seen before. Not more than Alya had though. She saw the gratitude between Chat Noir and Ladybug enough to know what gratitude was like.

"When did you do it? How? Why? Tell all the details!" Alya beamed.

"You only have to answer one question in truth or dare and she already answered it. Spin again," Mylene argued.

"Fine, but if it lands on either of them – either of you - again, I want _details_!" Alya beamed.

Spin, spin, spin... Alya. her smile was wiped away pretty quick.

"What happened in that cage between you and Nino?" Alix demanded.

"And remember-" Marinette began.

All the others tried not to laugh as they chorused, "DETAILS!"

Alya smirked and folded her arms defiantly. "I pick dare."

All smiles wavered, only to be replaced by a laugh as they realised that she had gotten them without even trying. Alix was already thinking up dares as quickly as she could while the others were laughing.

"Spoil sport," Marinette beamed.

"Empty your bag and explain everything you've got in there," Alix grinned.

"I choose truth," Alya declared.

This gained suspicious looks from the others, but it was Marinette that finally asked, "Why, what have you got in your bag?"

"Show us, or go downstairs and ask the first person you see to help you find a prince, and when they ask what he looks like, describe a frog," Alix beamed, evilly.

She had put up with Kim daring her for years now, and had learned how to dare him back. As bad as he gave, she could be worse. Alya wrinkled her nose at the idea of going outside right now. It was cold out and she was already in her pyjamas.

"Where's my bag?" She asked.

Mylene passed it forwards from the end of the sofa. Dramatically, Alya held it aloft. Then she tipped it. Everything came tumbling down like a waterfall over a cliff. The girls descended on the items, eagerly. They had a lot of fun picking apart her bag and getting the scoop on why the hell she had _bones_ in her bag.

"Don't worry, they're not human."

"THAT DOESN'T MAKE ME FEEL BETTER!"

"Never mind the bones, why have you got Jagged Stone's business card in here?!"

"Because he said if I had any more questions after our interview-"

"Interview?!"

"That I should call him."

" _Call_ _him_?!"

"I think we've found our next dare."

It didn't get that far though, because the next time they spun the bottle, it twirled around and around and around, and settled perfectly on Marinette. She felt her stomach twist with nerve.

"Truth."

She didn't want to be the one to call Jagged Stone. He'd taken to texting every other month just to check up on her. He said it was keeping that bridge strong, in case he ever needed her help with designs again in the future. It wasn't exactly unwelcome, but it wasn't something she wanted to share with the girls, because it would inevitable leak to the rest of the class and then they'd all be asking for his number and Marinette didn't want to be the cause of Jagged Stone's phone number being leaked to his fans. Although truth was no less painful.  
It was Rose that asked. Hopeless romantic Rose, and who had clearly forgotten why they were there in the first place.

"Why Adrien?"

A deathly silence descended on the room as Rose leaned forward eagerly, and Marinette's ears turned pink. The joy and confusion of the girls, picking through Alya's bag fell away. Alix's hand lowered, so she never actually got the chance to ask why Alya had a shark tooth in her bag, and if it was anything to do with the bones. It wasn't.

"What?" Marinette muttered, breathlessly.

"Out of all the boys you know, you picked Adrien to fall for. Why?" Rose asked.

As much as they wanted to move on and say it was alright and she didn't need to answer the question if she didn't want to, now it had been asked, they were curious to know the answer themselves. All the while Marinette's cheeks got darker.

"Um... I don't know... it happened so suddenly one day... like, do any of you remember when he started, and Chloe left gum on my seat, and I thought it was him?"

There were uncertain murmurs as they tried to think back that far, but Chloe had done so many things that remembering each specific one was getting forever harder to do.

"That's not important. But I didn't like him. Like, at all! I thought he was just like Chloe... until we got outside... and it was raining... no one was around except me and him, and I wasn't exactly in the mood for talking to him, so he did all the talking... He told me... he told me how he'd never had friends before. That this was all new and he was sorry and I... I felt bad for how I treated him. So then he offered me his umbrella, even though we were standing in a storm, and... and the way he smiled at me when I took it... it was like there was electricity in the air!"

Marinette gave a sheepish shrug. Rose gave a blissful sigh, and leaned against Juleka, who chuckled and patted Rose's head gently.

"No crap, you were in a storm, it was probably lightning! You fell for a boy because of lightning," Alya said.

"No, I got a crush on him then. It wasn't until later that I fell for him," Marinette said.

Rose gasped eagerly, "Why?!"

Marinette shrugged again, slightly clueless about how to explain. "It wasn't any single thing. He was nice, and sweet, and he held doors open for me, and he was nice about my designs, and he listened to me, even when I could only stammer around him-"

"So he was acting like a normal person, being polite?" Alix asked.

"Well... yeah..."

When you put it like that it didn't seem quiet the romantic fairy tale she made it out to be in her head. Or that Alya had helped her concoct. Although chasing down Adrien really brought Alya and her together. It gave them a lot of inside jokes and a lot of awkward memories that they looked back on and laughed about now.

"Have you ever thought that maybe you weren't in love with him, but you wanted to be because of the electricity of the storm?" Alix asked, gently, but seriously.

Alya raised her eyebrows in surprise like this thought had never stuck her before. Even Tikki gasped. Marinette's jaw dropped. Her entire word twisted.

"No I - yeah but - but what about... we have so much in common!"

"Like his father makes him wear clothes and you like to design clothes? You and his father have something in common. Not you and Adrien," Alix countered.

"It's more than that, it's... it's deeper than that..."

"Is it?" Juleka asked.

Juleka didn't seem convinced. Alix definitely wasn't. Even Rose seemed to be swaying. Marinette looked around helplessly, until her gaze fell on Alya, who deliberately wouldn't meet her eye. That made her heart drop again.

"Alya?" Marinette whispered.

Alya winced. "Sorry girl, but I gotta go with the facts. You like him because he's handsome and he's kind to you. But he's kind to everyone! Maybe Alix is right, and it was that spark that made you feel for him rather than who he is."

Marinette looked at each of their faces again. Each one looked away, like they couldn't bare to hold her gaze. then she looked up at Tikki. Tikki's antenna were low, and she looked utterly bewildered. What if the boost of affection she had felt when she met Adrien, was supposed to be for Tikki? Marinette had only just accepted her as her partner then. Maybe she loved Tikki, but that spark made her focus on Adrien... maybe she didn't love Adrien like that. Maybe it was all a huge misunderstanding, and she had wasted her time... and broken her heart for nothing...

Marinette sat back on her hunches and muttered, "This isn't fun anymore."

"Yeah, boys always ruin the fun. Let's fix it!" Alix beamed.

Her sudden energy burned away most of the awkward silence. Alya looked up at her, standing over everyone else and beaming like a manic pixie.

"What'd you suggest instead?" She asked.

Alix glanced around thoughtfully. Her gaze fell on the cushions that they were sitting on. She picked up one, and cleared her throat like she was about to give a speech. All that came out instead, was nothing less than a battle cry.

"PILLOW FIGHT!"

There was less laughter, less games, less food and considerably less fun over at Nino's. Writing a heartfelt apology to Marinette had taken twenty minutes, and rewriting and adapting had taken another twenty, but Alya? Trying to get forgiveness for her was like drawing blood from a rock. She was terrifying, because she would wait. She wouldn't forgive and forget. She would plot revenge, and remember. One time, Nino borrowed a pen from her, and didn't give it back. A month later, he asked to borrow her notes for a class he wasn't in, and she opened up her pencil case, took out a spare ink cartridge for her fountain pen, and poured it over her notes, destroying them, all the while maintaining eye contact.  
Apologising to that kind of girl took more than a page of paper, no matter how poetic the writing was. Right now, they were taking a break to try and get some feeling back into their arms and legs. Plagg was curled up in a broken part of Nino's DJ speakers, where it was warmer.

Nino heaved a sigh as his stretching arms fell back to his side. "I reckon they're having a pillow fight in their pyjamas right now."

"Who?" Adrien asked.

"The girls."

"So what?"

Nino turned to stare at the back of Adrien's head, and wondered if he was actually an alien sent down from space, because he couldn't be a regular fourteen-year-old boy if he had to ask those sorts of questions.

"So what?! So imagine it!"

"Why?"

"Oh Adrien you will be the death of me!" Nino slammed his hand against the desk, and leaned over Adrien slightly. Deeply serious, he tried to explain what he meant. "Pillow fights. Pyjamas. Giggling. Falling on top of each other. Bear skin touching. Its sexy!"

"Sexy?"

Nino groaned. Poor Adrien couldn't understand. You have to remember, he grew up around models. Drop dead beautiful women, the most perfect of perfect, utterly gorgeous. He was used to being surrounded by them in skimpy outfits, or even lingerie, or underwear with huge fluffy wings that one time they teamed up with Victoria's Secret. Adrien had seen girls, beautiful girls, having pillow fights. They didn't even try to win, they just hit each other.  
Not like Ladybug.  
If Ladybug was in a fight, she was going to win. And if it were a pillow fight, it wouldn't matter. They could still end up in hospital if she wanted them to. She was strong and serious, and she did it completely covered up.  
 _That_ was Adrien's idea of sexy.

"I'll call Alya and ask for some pictures. Then you'll get it."

Adrien leaned back in his chair and watched Nino. Given that they had just spent an age trying to think of a way to apologise for hurting this girls friend, he was keen to find out how Nino was going to ask for photos objectifying this girl and her friends without invoking her rage.

"Alya?" Nino asked.

The line was full of static, and her voice was very crackly as it came through.

"What do you want Nino I'm kinda busy?"

"Have you started a pillow fight yet?" He asked.

"Huh? Speak up, it's bad reception in here!" She called.

Nino frowned. "Where are you?"

"We're just waiting for Alix to finish getting stitches and then we can head home!" She called.

Adrien sat up. Stitches? What caused Alix to need stitches? There wasn't an akuma, he'd know, so what we're they up to?

"Home from where?" Nino asked.

Adrien snorted. And Nino thought Adrien was dense. Where else was Alix going to get stitches? Alya was clearly thinking the same thing because her tone became a little impatient.

"Hospital!"

Alya was standing underneath a wall of posters reminding people to get check ups, avoid fatty foods, and get vaccinated when they need it. She was a lucky one. Aside from a scratch across her cheek from her nose to her right ear, some minor scrapes, and a cut on her hip where the glass had had to be removed, she was fine. Behind her, Rose, Juleka and Marinette took up a row of seats in the waiting room. At the end, beside Marinette, Mylene was sat in a wheelchair, with her foot in a cast. Rose cradled her broken wrist, wincing. Juleka's black eye was already fading, and her ice pack was making the swelling on her broken nose ease. She was feeling less dizzy now too, which was good because that bang to the head is what cemented the fact they were _definitely_ going to hospital. Marinette's ankle was bandage as tightly as her shoulder. Her shoulder had been reset now, back in its socket, and her twisted ankle would heal within the week. She glanced at Mylene. Guilt flooded back to her.

"I'm really sorry Mylene."

"I told you, its fine Marinette. It's only a hairline fracture!"

"Still, I'm really sorry."

"What happened?!" Nino asked, urgently.

"Um... akuma?" Alya lied.

Well what did you expect her to say? Nino was forever nagging at her to be careful around akumas, it would only get worse if he knew the girls in his glass had been so badly hurt in a _pillow_ _fight_. It all would have been fine if it wasn't for Rose. Who knew someone so sweet and little held so much rage? And Alix?! She came to _win_. Look how that ended up. Nino wasn't born yesterday. He knew Alya well. he wasn't falling for this.

"I didn't hear of any akumas," he said.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir saved us personally," Alya insisted.

Adrien snorted. Well that definitely wasn't true. Chat Noir had been sat in this chair sculpting an apology all night. He hadn't had time to go over there and fight an akuma as well as saving them all personally, and getting back here without Nino noticing. That was _impossible_.

"Really? I imagine you filmed it all for you blog then? That kind of inside scoop can't be avoided," Nino smirked.

Alya bit her lip. "I... I didn't have my phone."

"Oh then they'll be up as soon as you get them from Marinette then?" Nino smirked.

"Alright! You got me! There wasn't an akuma... it was a pillow fight," Alya muttered.

"I think you're supposed to stop before hospitalisation!" Nino said.

"Well you've clearly never been in a pillow fight!" Alya smirked.

"Alya, Alix is here!" Rose called.

Alya turned. Alix was wandering out from the ward, with her forehead cleaned up and three stitches holding her eyebrow together. The nurse was talking to them about how to keep their stitches clean and when they could come back to have them removed.

"gotta go," she said.

"Alya wait-"

Alya hung up on him without a care. Nino scowled as he stared at his phone, at her grinning photo ID that hesitated even after she hung up, as if he could somehow make Alya feel his annoyance through her photo. When he looked up, Adrien grinned at him. Nino's shoulders sagged.

"maybe pillow fights aren't always sexy."

Adrien burst into laughter. Yeah, pillow fights could get vicious. This one clearly had. At least it had done some good. Nino wouldn't dare to ask Alya for photos anymore. That meant they only had to write one apology to her. That was hard enough, and at least they had one person she was still willing to talk to. If she was angry at both of them at the same time, they'd never get her to talk to them again. ever.  
Adrien didn't like the idea of that, but Nino would despise it.  
So weren't they lucky the girls were more violent than they first thought?


	4. Chapter 4

School on Monday was interesting to say the least. With every girl either not in class or visibly injured, anyone who didn't already know the story, had questions. Questions it took all morning to answer. At least now they all knew that they shouldn't get into a pillow fight with any of the girls. It would end badly. It also meant that Alya was less protective of Marinette, because she was distracted. That gave her time to slip away unnoticed for a minute or two. Relatively unnoticed anyway. She did have a crutch and a limp to slow her down.

"Where are we going?" Tikki asked curiously.

"I was harsh to Adrien. Too harsh. Char Noir was right, I needed that girl's night to get my head in order. I'm going to say sorry to Adrien, and hope we can move on," Marinette explained.

"Chat Noir also said it wasn't selfish to be in love. You don't need to be sorry for it," Tikki reminded her.

"I know. But Alix got me wondering if I was in love with him, or if I was feeling a rush of affection for you that I mistook for falling for him," Marinette explained.

Tikki sat upright so she was almost fully revealed to anyone who walked past, but her focus was entirely on Marinette, so she didn't notice. Besides, they were in a corridor by the locker room, completely alone. No one was going to be around for a while at least.

"Me?!"

Marinette nodded sheepishly and shrugged. She was fully aware of how ridiculous it sounded but the more she thought about it, the easier it was to believe. It all could have been a delayed reaction that he just got in the way of.

"Yeah. We'd just met, I had just accepted that I was going to have to be Ladybug, and we'd just left Chat Noir. Maybe I was finally coming to terms and accepting that you, my adorable little kwami friend, were going to be the best thing that ever happened to me, and he got in the way."

Tikki rested her hand on her chin, squidging her cheek thoughtfully. Even that made Marinette think of Winnie-the-Pooh, and feel another tug of affection for her.

"As much as I would love that, it doesn't seem right," Tikki said.

"Maybe you're right," Marinette didn't want to talk about it anymore. There were more pressing matters to deal with. "Anyway, I'll never know until I face Adrien, and we at least try to move on. Which is impossible with Alya around."

"So we're looking for Adrien?" Tikki asked.

"Yep."

"Then turn around."

Marinette gasped as Tikki dove back into her bag. Adrien had appeared by the classroom door, and he was glancing around as if looking for something. Plagg had pointed out that Marinette was no longer in the room with Alya. Alya was here and Marinette was on her own somewhere, because she had walked out not long ago. Now Adrien was eager to find her. When else was he going to find her on her own?

"Adrien?" She gasped.

Her voice, no matter how low, echoed in the quiet corridor, and drew Alya's attention. He spotted her at the end of the corridor, and perked up like a cat that had seen something it wanted.

"Marinette!" He grinned.

Usually her heart would have beat faster, she would have forgotten how to speak, and she might even have tried to take a step back, tripped on her crutch, and hit into the wall as she fell to the floor. Instead, now, she felt her stomach twist, her mouth go dry, and her legs go numb, so she clung tighter to her crutch. He came hurrying over to her, smiling. His jacket swished around him as he moved, and he jogged to a stop beside her. Now he was close, she shrunk back, and he slumped a little, so he didn't tower over her as much. Adrien was a little breathless, and he flicked his hair out of his eyes, making it shimmer like gold silk, and his eyes sparkle like emeralds. Marinette bit her lip hard enough to taste blood. It wasn't the usual anxious crush she was worrying about this time. Her stomach twisted anxiously, terrified that he wouldn't forgive her so something. Even that easy, charming, slightly crooked smile wouldn't ease her nerve. For a moment they stood there. Still as statues. Just staring at each other as if suddenly seeing each other for the first time.

He was handsome and charming, but that was it. Any prince could do that. Hell, Chat Noir could do that! But it wasn't enough to love. Not anymore.  
She was caring and beautiful, and vicious. From what he heard from the others about the pillow fight, Marinette was as scrappy as Ladybug. Beaten and bandaged but still beaming, Marinette was a marvel.

Both of them were surprisingly breathless at that. The new light that shone between them changed their perspectives again. Trying to remember what they had been repeating in their heads was a little harder now. First, she muttered "um..." which prompted him to remember how to talk, and they spoke at the same time to try and explain themselves.

"Marinette, I want to talk to you-"

"Listen, I just wanted to say-"

"Oh, sorry."

"No, no, go ahead, I want to hear what you have to say."

"Are you sure, because I can wait, and you can-"

"No, please, go on."

Adrien seemed so sincere and so apologetic that Marinette just obeyed. She ringed her fingers in her hand nervously as she glanced away from his face. That movement of her head made him notice the bruises along her hair line. They were almost perfectly zip shaped. He shook his head and focused on what she was saying.

"Ok... I just wanted to say that..." she took a deep breath and raised her head to meet his gaze. "what I said to you on Thursday was-"

Adrien's face fell. He thought she was going to take it all back, and honestly, he didn't want her to, or to feel like she had to. "Oh, Marinette please-"

Marinette cut him off. "No, it wasn't right. You said you didn't love me and I got annoyed when I shouldn't because you're well within your rights not to love me-"

Adrien interrupted, "It's not that I don't love you, but just not like that and, um, what I mean is-"

She said, firmly and stubbornly, yet sincerely. "I'm sorry."

"No, no, _I'm_ sorry!" He pressed his hands against his chest and his jacket flapped again.

"You don't have to be sorry that you don't love me. Just like I don't have to be sorry that I love you either," Marinette promised.

Adrien's arms fell to his side and he frowned with confusion. "Then... what are you apologising for?"

"I'm only saying sorry that I brought it up. Now it's all awkward, and I don't want it to be. Your family..." for a second she dipped her head, but she raised it again, meeting his gaze. She reached forward as if to take his hand, but let her hand their so he could choose if he wanted to or not. "I think you're so brave. You have to be to be able to smile even after what's happened, and I'm so proud of you for that. I'm proud to even know you, so please, _please_ , let's move past this. Let's go back to being friends."

She squeezed her hand as if squeezing his, even though he hadn't taken it. Adrien's face fell a little. That sounded familiar. Hauntingly familiar. Familiar enough to utterly distract Adrien from the apology he had been trying to learn for the last four hours. He just couldn't quite put his finger on how.

"Come on Adrien even you can't be that dense!" Plagg huffed.

"Hey, are you ok? You seem distracted," Marinette said, softly.

Alya felt a heat rising up his collar, anxiously. It was his turn to apologise. "I... I wanted to tell you... I'm really sorry about... about how I treated you. Chloe kept me up all night and I missed a photoshoot, so I was ratty and about to get into so much trouble and then I couldn't find Nino and..."

Adrien looked into Marinette's eyes. She was watching and listening patiently, taking in every word as if she cared. She still cared after all that he'd done. He didn't deserve a friend like her. He sighed and let his shoulders fall loose.

"There's no excuse for what I said. I was annoyed at Chloe and I took it out on you and I'm sorry."

"It's ok. I took my anger out on someone who really didn't deserve it, and he spent the night with me to make sure I felt better. We all need a friend like that, right?" She smiled.

Adrien forced a smile in return, but something inside of him wondered who he had to be that friend. He couldn't think of them. "Yeah..."

"Does this mean we can be friends again, Adrien?"

Oh! Oh hell. Marinette was Ladybug. It hit him like a frat train the moment his name left her mouth. The word, the name, _his_ name, had been rattling around in his head since Ladybug said it. The moment he heard her say it, it matched. Perfectly. From tone to voice.  
Of course now it all fell into place.  
Every time there was an akuma, Marinette vanished. The only time he had to rescue her was when Ladybug was nowhere to be seen. She had never even been akumatized, she claimed to have been transformed into a mummy or into a knight, but she never appeared on the Lady blog, even just in the background! And Ladybug constantly suggested going to Alya for help! He thought it was just because of how big a fan she was, but it was because she knew she could trust her. It was so obvious now. Those dazzling midnight eyes of hers matched his lady's. She didn't even bother to change her hair! And those little black earrings she always wore must have been her miraculous. All those times he caught her talking to herself, she must have been talking to her kwami.

Marinette was Ladybug. His Ladybug. The Ladybug he had been in love with for so long. Ladybug was in love with him and he messed it up. _He_ was the idiot. _He_ hurt his lady. _He_ made her cry!  
Oh no...  
He had told her to move on. She wanted to move on. Now she was trying to and it wasn't like he could say no! If he did, she might never talk to him again. The very idea was unbearable. He was going to regret this. He already did. Adrien put on a forced smile, even as he felt his insides dying.

"Course we can!" He took her hand that was still outstretched, and felt his heart beat harder. "I really, really, really, _really_ like you Marinette. Really! You're strong and brave and kind, and clearly you're not someone to mess with! There's fight in you. Just like Ladybug." He hesitated to try and see a reaction. She just smiled, clearly flattered. Inside, she was screaming. "I'm sure that you'll find someone who's really worthy of loving you." He promised.

Marinette smiled, flattered, but already ready to tease him. "Really?"

"Really!" He insisted. His face fell as she smirked and it dawned on him what was happening. "Oh you're joking..."

She chuckled. "You'll catch up."

Marinette took her hand back, but he clung on for a moment longer. Marinette didn't notice. She slotted her hand back into her crutch and limped back towards class. Adrien frowned as he watched her go.

"Why are you limping?" The question just fell from his mouth.

Marinette paused in the corridor and turned back, ready with sarcasm. "Didn't you hear? Me and the girls had a pillow fight, and we got a bit carried away."

Adrien felt foolish. "Ask a stupid question."

She smirked. "My arm came out of the socket, and I twisted my ankle."

"Are you gonna be ok?" He asked.

What he really meant was, are you going to be okay in time for the next akuma, but he couldn't be that specific here, and she wouldn't be anyway.

"My ankle in like a week, but arm in like twelve. My leg hurts more though," she shrugged and winced.

Her leg hurt more because Tikki spent ten minutes every night heeling her with her magic. That tired Tikki out, and she didn't want anyone to think her arm was healing too quickly, so ten minutes before bed she eased Marinette's pain, and they laid down to sleep. It's not like she could explain that to Adrien though.

"Shall I help you back to class?" He offered.

Of course he offered. He was prince charming. Before, back when she liked him, that would have worked. She would have fallen into his arms, bright red and unbelievably happy. He knew that now. Now though, her mind went to Chat Noir and Alya instead. Two people she didn't want to disappoint.

"Err, no, I don't think Alya would forgive either of us," she said, with a slight smile.

Adrien's heart sank. "Right. I'll meet you back in class instead?"

Marinette wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "Give it a week. Alya will move on then."

Adrien just nodded. He couldn't argue with that. Marinette knew Alya better than he ever would. It didn't stop his disappointment though. He watched Marinette limp back to class. Even though it wasn't his fault, he felt a tug of guilt.  
If he hadn't broken her heart and then suggested she try to heal with a girl's night, this would never have happened. She would never have been hurt. None of them would.

"Cheer up!" Plagg complained, "Only Alya is mad at you now, and no one is mad at Chat Noir."

Adrien's shoulders and eyebrows raised. In a scheming voice that made Plagg regret bringing it up, he repeated. "No one's mad at Chat Noir."

Marinette didn't have far too go to get to the bakery. She insisted to her patents that she didn't need help, and she was beginning to regret that. Crouched on the roof of the nearby house, Chat Noir watched her, his tail swished in the breeze. She was adamant that she didn't need help. She was wrong. Crossing the road with a bad leg meant she had to wait forever for the lights to change. He slipped down the drain and landed beside her, and with a smile.

"Hey princess."

Marinette usually wouldn't respond to that kind of greetings, but she recognised the shadow that crossed her path. Now many people had cat ears that accurate. She pulled a headphone out of her ear as she looked up.

"Oh, hi chat noir. What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Oh I was just out on patrol and I saw you waiting here for ages," and obvious light that Ladybug would pick up on. Her eyes flickered, as if she had, but she gave nothing away. He gestured to the blinking yellow light. "These lights are broken."

"I figured that out," she agreed.

"You'll have to go the long way."

"I know."

That was the problem. The long way was so long and by the time she hobbled home she'd be exhausted and her mum and dad would insist on picking her up tomorrow, which she really, really didn't want them to do. She didn't want a fuss.

"You can't walk," Chat noted.

She gave him a sarcastic smile, but not a malicious one. "I hadn't noticed."

Chat tilted his head. The moment made his bell jingle. Marinette glanced down at it, and sighed.

"Sorry. I just... I don't want them to fuss, y'know?"

Chat Noir didn't. He would have loved his father to fuss. Not like he did, which was always disapproving because he was eating carbs, or because he tripped and tore his jacket or something equally guilt worthy, but like Tom did. Fussing in to meet the boy she had brought home, and bringing plate after plate of freshly baked food, to try and fill them up because they were growing children and needed feeding. If his father fussed like they did, he'd love it.

"I could carry you," he offered.

Marinette looked at him as if he had four heads. "I'm not going over the rooftops!"

Chat Noir laughed. He actually hadn't thought of going over the rooftops. His plan had been to take her across the road. Somehow the idea of carrying her over the rooftops was funny to him. Marinette gave him a grumpy look that was iconic of Ladybug. That made him smile. Only his lady could scowl at him like that.

"Then I'll carry you across the road," he offered.

Her eyes widened for a moment, as if to say, "you're not serious" but then she let her face fall, as if she had decided herself without talking to him that he was not serious. He reached out and put a paw on her arm.

"Let me carry you," he grinned.

The five stages of grief transpired across her face, and she moved away from him, shuffling backwards, nervously.

"It's ok, it's not far," she insisted.

Chat Noir held out a hand, and gave her the biggest smirk he could muster. "Don't you trust me?"

He expected her to look surprised and sheepish, and say nothing but take his hand and confirm that she trusted him, and always would, because he was her partner, and they were meant to be together, and the trust was a natural part of that.  
What she did was reel back further and said, deadly seriously, "Not as far as I could throw you. Which is pretty far if I use that as springboard."

Chat glanced down at his staff that she was gesturing to. He grinned, "You wouldn't be the first."

She couldn't help smiling back. "Or the last no doubt."

Chat chuckled. Marinette found herself smiling at the way his eyes creased through the mask when he did. He was actually very handsome now she came to think about it. Sure his hair was messy and his entire eyes were green and could glow in the dark, which was a little sinister, but yeah. He was taller than she was, and slim. His arms looked scrawny but he had built up some muscle from fighting akumas, and they were just visible through his suit. His eyes sparkled and his bell shone, and his little smirk made them brighter. She looked at him like she was seeing him for the first time. To some extent, she was.

"Come on, let me carry you. What's the worst that could happen?" Chat asked.

"Someone said that to me and then this happened," she moved her bad arm pointedly.

"Aw come on princess! Let me help. Purr-lease?" Chat purred.

Marinette couldn't help giggling, so she rolled her eyes and dramatically sighed, "Oh _fine_! But I'm telling everyone you begged!"

"Fine by me!"

Chat Noir leapt to his feet, took her bag from her, and hoisted her up onto his back. Immediately she turned pink.

"I didn't agree to a piggyback," she pointed out.

"It's either this way, or like a bride so you don't hurt your arm more," He said.

There was a pause, and then Marinette's good hand tightened her grip on him.

"I'm ok like this," she said.

The way she leaned on him made his hair fall over his eyes, which made his chuckle. He flipped it away so he could see properly. When he moved she bounced against his back. Chat Noir held up carefully as they waited for the road to clear, so he didn't hurt her accidentally.

"You know my kwami is pretty good at healing wounds. I hurt my leg when Riposte attacked and Plagg cured it overnight. Maybe he could do it for you," He offered.

Marinette's heart beat faster. That was way too risky. What if she just stole Plagg and ran? How would he transform? He shouldn't offer things like that, the idiot. But she couldn't tell him any of that. She couldn't even tell him she knew what a kwami was. It was almost as if he was deliberately trying to annoy her. So she did it back.

"I heard you didn't even do anything in that akuma."

"Someone's been spreading lies about me! Probably someone jealous of how pawsome I am!"

"Yeah right, because everyone's jealous of having a litter tray."

"Don't knock it till you try it, princess!"

there could have been a better response than that, but that momentary pause as Marinette suddenly rewired for this new and unexpected twist of their conversation, followed by the howl of laughter as she buried her face into his shoulder, was worth it. her entire body shook as she laughed and he felt it all. he felt her hot breath gasping for air and only finding laughter on his neck, and her fingers grip tighter into his arm as she tried to stay on despite the shaking, and the press of her waist as she tried to double over with laughter, only to lean against his back.  
Chat Noir beamed. It was a dumb offhand comment at best, and a terrible pun at worst, but it worked. It lit up her entire face, and he didn't need to see it to know. The creases in the corners of her shining eyes would drown out the bags for a moment, so she didn't seem as exhausted as she felt. Her hair would shimmer as she shook her head. Maybe, if he was lucky, a tear full of laughter would trail down her cheek, and die on her lips. He found himself wondering if they would taste salty, or if his would be too chapped to notice…  
Marinette would still be giggling softly later. Every time she thought of the way he said it, so casual that it could almost go unnoticed, it set her off again. Tikki beamed each time she started laughing, but it really wasn't that funny!

"This is you, isn't it?" Chat asked as they reached the bakery.

She looked up, her eyes red from being buried on his back, and bit her lip to try and control the giggles. "yeah. Yeah this is me!"

Chat grinned. this was her. unfiltered by anxiety or pressure to save the city. This was just her. Marinette. Plain and simple and exposed. He liked it.  
she climbed down from his back, and held onto him firmly as she adjusted her crutch back into place on the ground. He held a hand out to try and balance her, like an over caring family member. Or a boyfriend. She took her bag from him, and balanced herself. then beamed up at him.

"it's like buckaroo sometimes!" she said.

Now it was his turn to laugh. Marinette bit her lip when he did. He laughed like the sunshine had just gifted him the ability to. It was innocent and sweet and totally different to how she heard it as Ladybug. I guess when the world isn't in danger it can change the way you see things.

"Thank you, Chat," she smiled.

Her gaze trailed over to her parents behind the counter. They were holding hand, across the counter, looking into each others' eyes, and smiling with so much love that she felt bad. It was just a pillow fight and she got hurt. What if something happened in battle? Something worse than a twisted ankle and a dislocated shoulder. Couples, no matter how in love they were, often divorce when they lose a child. Then her gaze turned back to Chat Noir. He was her partner. He was there to help make sure that never happened.

"I probably need more help than I care to admit," she admitted.

Chat thought she was still referring to her leg. "Well if you don't want to cause a fuss I can walk you home every day until your better."

"that's like twelve weeks away. Three ish months. I don't want to be a waste of your time."

"You're not a waste. You're worth every minute," he promised.

She laughed and shook her head. He couldn't hold back the smile. She was beautiful when she laughed.

"Do you flirt with everyone like this?" she challenged.

"Only people who are unbelievable beautiful," he said firmly.

She smiled for a moment, but looked back towards her parents. Her mother once said it wasn't her fathers looks that won her over, but once he had he looked entirely different. She glanced at Chat Noir, but thought of Adrien. Maybe it was his looks than had drawn her in...

"right. because that's looks are all that matters," she muttered to herself.

Chat Noir's eyes widened. "No! no I didn't mean that! I didn't!"

Marinette raised hand to his chest, her finger tips brushing against it, and she gave a reassuring smile.

"I know. Don't worry about it. Thanks again Chat," she smiled.

Chat watched her stagger into her bakery, held upright by her crutch. Her father rushed to the door to hold it open for her. She thanked him with a hug. Chat Noir's heart sank a little as the door shut behind him. She didn't even invite him in. Somehow he'd messed up again. Hurt her again.

Chat closed his eyes and sighed. "Dammit."

Chat turned around and reached for his staff, ready to shoot himself away. Then there was a jingle as the bell above the bakery door was knocked again.

"hey," she called.

Chat turned to see Marinette hanging half out of the door, and he blinked. He had no idea what to say in that situation. He hadn't expected her to make a reappearance like this. Marinette flashed him a grin. She said the one thing that could give him enough hope to keep him going again.

"See you tomorrow."


	5. Chapter 5

Now Marinette knew there was no chance the two of them would be together, she calmed down around him. She could talk to him now. Not only could she talk, she could joke, tease, call him out, and even flirt with him. In short, she could show her Ladybug side. He didn't notice a change for the first week, but then, he couldn't help noticing. She was getting more playful with Chat Noir too. This afternoon she even linked her arm through his, which didn't sound like much, but given that she couldn't use her other arm, she rendered herself incapacitated. She trusted him enough to let him have control.  
Only Ladybug had that much trust in him.  
Adrien found himself staring at himself in the mirror, wondering how he had survived to this age when he was clearly so utterly oblivious about things.  
Oh, and he was head over heels in love with Marinette.  
Who no longer thought of him like that.  
Great.

Adrien was watching Marinette laughing with Nathanael, dreamily, with hearts instead of eyes. The teacher had chosen to put the three of them together for a group project. Nathanael and Marinette were smiling, and Adrien felt himself falling deeper for that smile. Then he was pulled from his thoughts by Alya sitting down beside him.

"Hey."

Adrien's eyebrows rose, surprised. "Oh, err, hey."

Alya kept a large space between them. She didn't want him to think he was totally forgiven, or that he could be before Mylene's leg was completely healed. Even so, she wanted to move past this. For Nino's sake.

"Marinette means a lot to me. You know that," she said, firmly.

Adrien nodded. He felt a little bit like he was facing down Marinette's father, to prove he was worthy. That made him wonder if he actually was. But Adrien wasn't good at managing anxiety, so he pushed it away and focused on Alya.

"I do," he agreed.

"But Nino means... Nino may mean more. I know you mean a lot to him, and to Marinette, and really, in some way or another, to me. You are my friend Adrien. I've said a lot about you, not all of necessarily kind, or true, and -"

Adrien interrupted. "Alya. I forgive you."

Alya glanced over at him, and tried not to smile, even though she wanted to. "I wasn't finished."

"I still forgive you," he said.

The smile escaped and she grinned at him. "Thanks. Do you think we can move on now?"

"Course we can. For Nino," he said.

She nodded in agreement. "For Nino."

Alya moved a little closer and knocked her arm against his, playfully. He smiled back. Things were getting back to normal now. Slowly, but they were getting there.

"It's funny, the doctor said her leg would heal soon if she got enough rest and it doesn't seem any better, but her arm is. Weirdly better. That girl can heal herself like magic,"

"Yeah. Magic."

Marinette sat on the steps outside the school, waiting for Chat Noir to make an appearance. He had been late before once or twice, and was always very apologetic about it. Almost panicked about it. Marinette always smiled and told him not to worry. Then he took her bag, and held out an arm so she could hold onto him. This time was no different. She smiled, delighted to see him, and he looked flushed, like he'd hurried to get here.

"Sorry, traffic was awful," he said.

"Yeah, all these pigeons must be making the roof tops hell!" She chuckled.

Chat Noir winced. Since he had found out that he was the idiot that rejected Ladybug, he was constantly double thinking everything, and this was one of them. She was chuckling, but what if it was really an insult?

"Are you mad?" He asked, anxiously.

She gave him a soft smile, which was more reassuring than the funny look forward used to give him. At first, when she realised he was acting funny, she thought he might be an akuma, like the Copy Cat, but he passed each mini test repeatedly. The cat was constantly correct, so he couldn't be a copy. He was just anxious.

"I'm not mad kitty, I'm joking. Honestly, I've not been waiting long, and I don't mind the wait," she promised.

"I just don't want you to feel abandoned," he said.

"I don't! Alya only left five minutes ago, and she asked me to come back and play video games with her like twenty times. I told her I was waiting for you. It was my choice. I'm not upset," she insisted.

He bowed his head uncertainly, and muttered, "Promise?"

She smirked and raised a hand. "Cats honour."

He burst into laughter, and it completely eased him. "That's my line!"

"It's your honour," she beamed.

"That it is princess," he chuckled.

She held out a hand like a toddler, and clenched her hand to make a point. Chat smirked. His lady was childish. He like that. Chat hoisted her up to her feet, but she stumbled on the step and latched onto him. Her fingers gripped so tightly to his arm that he could feel the little prints they were leaving. Behind his mask his cheeks turned scarlet. Marinette stayed holding onto him as she stabilised herself. His cheeks eased off when she was upright, and he dove for her bag so she wouldn't see his flushed cheeks. When he held it out to her, he was keenly aware of her hand lingering on his arm. She flushed pink, but it was ok. He was just a friend, so it didn't matter how strong or muscular his arms were.  
Right?  
Marinette linked her arm through his determinedly. their arms landed against each other. His blush deepened, but she was so wrapped up in herself and her own thoughts to notice. She wondered if hers were as muscular. That yo-yo took a lot of power, which was good arm exercise. Stitching was too. And the video games she and Alya played. Maybe they were as muscular as his. More maybe. His looked better though. But she could beat him in an arm wrestle. That she'd prove.

"You really gave up video games for me?"

His voice pulled her out of her thought, and she hummed to try and make him repeat himself, so he did.

"For you, and because now I only have one hand she beats me all the time," she said, with a smile.

He glanced down at her arm. It was still in a sling, but it was mostly healed now. Marinette faked it in school, but he could tell. It helped that he was watching her like a hawk, eager for any mannerisms that he could use to prove she was Ladybug. Chat wrinkled his nose. It'd only been four weeks. She promised him at least ten.

"Your arm seems to be healing fast," he said.

Marinette's heart beat a little faster, "I can rest it you see. Unlike my leg. That seems to be getting worse."

She leaned a little harder against him, to cover her tracks. He had been watching her though. He knew that her leg was healing, it had only twisted. It wasn't like Mylene, who had only been able to come back in to school recently. It won't be long until she wouldn't need him anymore. Chat felt his chest warm at the fact she was faking it, and flattered himself with the idea she was doing it just to spend time with him, but her arm didn't stop her walking.

"Yeah, but still, you said your arm came out of its socket when you got dragged backwards off of a chair. I'd have thought that'd take longer to heal," he said.

Marinette smiled as she thought of a bad pun. "It's miraculous what rest can do to you."

He snorted. "Isn't it just."

Marinette was getting annoyed with how close her house was to her school. Usually she didn't mind it, in mornings it was pretty helpful because she could sleep in a little longer, she just had to run. But now she wanted to spend more time with Chat being close to school was frustrating. She sighed as they stopped outside the bakery. Her arm lingered against his as she took her bag back, but then she had to pull away, and her heart sank.

"Usual time tomorrow?" He smiled.

"Err, no, actually. Me and Nathanael are going to hang out in the library and get some work done, so I'll ask him to walk me home," she explained.

Adrien frowned. He was part of that group. He knew that because his heart had beat so hard when the teacher called their names together that he was sure Nino had heard it. How comes he wasn't invited?

"Oh... partner project, is it?" He asked.

"No, threes. Adrien is with us too," she said.

At least she admitted it. That meant that she wasn't still mad at him, and planning to work alone with Nathanael to kick him out of the group so he failed his project. She wouldn't do that. She wasn't as petty as Alya. Probably.

"Why isn't Adrien going?" Chat asked, pointedly.

"Nathanael asked him to come study with us and he said he was busy," she shrugged.

Oh. He remembered that now. Nathanael asked him to stay after school to study while he was staring at Marinette. It wasn't his fault. She had a bow in her hair. Marinette was beautiful in a bow. And anyway he thought he was busy. He had to walk Marinette home. But now he didn't even have that, he could go.

"Nathanael was the Evillustrator, right?" He asked.

"Yeah, you remember him?" Her surprised smile stirred mixed feelings.

"How can I forget that day we met?" He asked.

She chuckled. "He had such a crush on me, bless him."

Chat fought back the scowl. /don't bless him! He tried to drown you!

"Does he still?" Chat asked.

"Um, I don't know. Maybe. He's cute and sweet and he dreams of being a hero. I could do worse," she shrugged.

"How?" Chat asked, too quickly.

"I could fall for someone who's handsome, but hides behind the cat costume playing the fool so no one sees it," she teased.

A new hope! "You think I'm handsome?"

"All cats are handsome. Even flea ridden ones," she winked.

He gave a strangled laugh. She thought he was handsome. She thought Nathanael was someone to settle for. She was going to spend a lot of time with Nathanael on this project. That was settled then. He was going to join them. He was going to third wheel right until the end of the project. They were never going to have a moment alone. Not if he could help it. Chat Noir's smile eased now he had a plan, even if it was formed in the grips of jealousy.

"Have a nice time princess. Study hard," he smiled.

"I'll see you soon kitty," she smiled back.

"Is it a dumb question to ask if you have colours?"

"Pencils, pens, gel pens, crayons, highlighters or felt tips?"

Nathanael unzipped his square pencil case to show her dozens of utensils in dozens of colours, jumbled together to make a messy rainbow. She chuckled.

"I knew it was dumb. Highlighters please."

"Good choice, they're scented," he said as he tipped the pencil case out and let the pens scatter noisily across the table.

She winced at the noise as it echoed through the empty library, but repeated, "Scented?"

"Yeah! This one's pineapple. Smell!"

He yanked off the lid and thrust the highlighter towards her face. She reeled back for safety, but leaned forward to smell it, curiously. Then she grinned.

"Wow!"

Nathanael beamed. He grabbed the green one excitedly. "This one's apple!"

She took it for herself to avoid almost being punched in the face, and sniffed it. She beamed. "Cool! What's this?"

She reached for the blue, and Nathanael grinned. "Guess."

Marinette sniffed it, cautiously, and looked thoughtful. If you hid what was in her hand and focused on her face you would be forgiven for thinking she was with a wine connoisseur trying to guess the bouquet of a particularly difficult red.

"It smells fruity... Is it blueberry?"

"You got it in one."

"Because of the colour," she admitted, "These are awesome."

Nathanael beamed brightly back at her. through the window in the door Adrien saw them. how they laughed together so easily. She liked a boy that could make her laugh. Adrien couldn't allow it to be Nathanael. He pushed the door open so loudly it crashed, and the two of them looked up in surprise.

"Am I interrupting?" he asked, tightly.

"Adrien!" Marinette smiled, "No, come on in, we're just about to start."

Adrien felt a stir of joy when she smiled at his name. Plagg did not. he groaned inwardly and tightened himself into a ball, ready for Adrien to embarrass himself. Nathanael gave Adrien a quizzical look.

"I thought you were busy tonight," he said.

Adrien's voice was a little too sharp. "It got rescheduled. That's not a problem is it?"

"N-no. Of course not. I was just asking," Nathanael muttered.

Adrien glanced him up and down suspiciously. "Mmm."

Nathanael shrunk into himself and coughed, nervously. He turned away from Adrien, and pushed the highlighters over towards Marinette.

"Here Marinette. Take as many as you need," he said.

"Thanks Nath."

 _Nath_.

Adrien wrinkled his nose in disgust. She didn't have a nickname for him! His expression immediately turned into a puzzled look as he watched Marinette pick up a yellow highlighter, take off the lid and sniff it, curiously. Then she smiled to herself, clearly pleased with the smell.

"Why are you sniffing highlighters?" Adrien asked.

Her eyes sparkled with wonder as she grinned at him, "Oh, Adrien, these highlighters Nathanael has are amazing! They're scented! Look!"

She leaned across the table, and held out the highlighter, like Nathanael had to her. Nathanael pulled his notebook towards him, so it didn't get bent. Adrien took the highlighter from her open palm. His fingers tingled where they brushed against hers. She sat back in her seat when he took it, and watched, eagerly, as he sniffed. It was clearly pineapple, but to admit he was impressed would be to admit Nathanael did something right.

"It smells inky," he declared instead.

"It's pineapple!" she beamed.

Adrien forced a smile and passed it back. "Awesome."

Marinette gathered up the highlighters into a pile at one side of the table, and helped Nathanael gather up the other pens. Just as their hands reached for the same pen at the same time, Adrien threw his forward. Marinette and Nathanael's fingers brushed, and were then crushed by Adrien slamming his hand down like he was winning a game of snap. Both of them cried out in pain, which made him reel back in surprise and guilt.

"Sorry, I don't know what came over me," he muttered.

"Are you ok Marinette?" Nathanael asked, concerned.

Marinette shook her hand out and leaned forward to lay it on his arm, "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Are you?"

Adrien leaned over to push her hand off of Nathanael, and took it in his own hand to examine it. this meant throwing himself over the table, which made Nathanael cry out again, in concern for his notebook.

"He's fine, are you sure you haven't broken anything? It'd be awful if you broke a finger on your good arm!"

"I'm fine," Marinette snatched her hand back.

Adrien nodded and sat back, looking guilty. She glanced at him with mild annoyance, but more concern. Adrien was acting very strangely today. She pulled her attention back to Nathanael.

"Are you alright Nath?" she asked, gently.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Maybe a bruise or two, but I can still draw," he gave a small smile.

Nathanael turned his head to smile at her, and she smiled back, relieved. His drawing was amazing, and she didn't want him to lose that skill because Adrien was acting… she couldn't even name it. just weird. If she didn't know better (and she did. painfully so) she might even think he was jealous for some reason.

"Good. Can you go find this book for us?" she asked.

Adrien sat upright, "I'll go!"

She frowned at him. "Adrien, I asked Nathanael."

"But-"

"I asked Nath."

Adrien sank back into his seat under her glare. She could put a boy in his place with that glare. She learned it from Tikki. Sensing that he might have gotten caught in something he didn't want to be apart of, Nathanael stood up and cleared his throat. At least he had an escape, even if it was only for a moment or two.

"I'll be right back."

"Take your time," Adrien called.

Marinette scowled at him. Plagg curled his tail around his chin timidly, and shied back. things were about to get serious, and he didn't want to be caught in the cross fire. Adrien's smirk was wiped off of his face when he saw the glare he was getting. Oh yeah. She was Ladybug. Ladybug was that scary.

"What's your problem?!" she hissed, so Nathanael wouldn't hear.

Adrien reeled back. "My- I don't have a problem."

"Why are you being weird?" she demanded.

"Weird?" he repeated.

"You tried to break my hand, you tried to make Nathanael feel intimidated-"

"So he's Nathanael now is he, I thought he was Nath!" he sneered.

"See? This is what I'm talking about! What's going on with you? You're not even supposed to be here!" she hissed.

"Are you upset that I came to help my partner with our project?"

"Part _ners_. Me and Nath. And I'm upset that you're being unnecessarily mean!"

"Mean?"

"Mean. Nath gets enough of that from Chloe, he doesn't need you piling on when he's trying to get work done. Do you understand that?"

Adrien wrinkled his nose. "Yes…"

"I don't know what happened, was it something to do with your dad again?" she asked.

Adrien raised his head in surprise. She was offering him an excuse. His father. that was something he could spin to get all the sympathy that he needed.

"um, yeah."

"Oh…" she heaved a sigh, like she was going to be softer on him from now on. "well that makes that understandable."

Adrien was surprised all over again. he knew his relationship with his father was bad, and he knew Nino worried about him because of it, but he hadn't realised how far that stretched. Even Marinette was concerned. Sure, she said she was, she told Chat Noir she was, but now she was proving it. Even after all they'd been though, she cared.

"really?"

She put a hand on her hip, classic Ladybug. "understandable but not excusable. You can't take it out on Nath. That's what makes a bully, and you're not a bully. You're better than that. It stops here. doesn't it?"

"Yes Marinette. I'm sorry. I'll apologise to Nathanael," Adrien promised.

Nathanael cleared his throat as he appeared from behind the bookshelves, timidly. "It's alright Adrien, I get it."

Adrien frowned in annoyance. Of course he was eavesdropping. Probably wanted to see him get into trouble. Jerk. Adrien slumped in his seat and folded his arm like a grump child. Marinette shot Adrien a death glare so Adrien looked down guiltily.

"I'm sorry Nathanael. I shouldn't let my temper get in the way like this, it won't happen again."

Adrien felt another stab of guilt, because he knew it was true, but he didn't mean it. no, he shouldn't let his temper get in the way of his opinion. A real hero didn't, Ladybug said it herself. even so, Adrien wasn't a hero. Chat Noir was. he wasn't going to stop. He'd just have to be more… subtle.


	6. Chapter 6

Marinette kept him in his place for the next hour. She threw him a bone and asked him to write for her when her arm started to hurt too much. he knew she was faking, but he was so smitten he didn't care. He ensured repeatedly that Nathanael and Marinette never touched, and were never alone. Nathanael became rather irritated at Adrien constantly shuffling in between the two of them, and elbowing him aside to show "something" to Marinette. Nathanael decided they should finish early. He was fed up of Adrien. Marinette agreed with both opinions. Nathanael offered to help her pack up, and Adrien was about to interrupt, but Marinette insisted she didn't need help. After all, Tikki was hidden in that bag, sleeping under her biology book cover. Adrien hurried over while Nathanael was busy packing his own things away.

"I'll walk you home if you like," Adrien offered.

She smiled and shook her head. "No, it's ok, I don't need anyone to walk me home."

"I could drop you off in the car, I don't mind," he insisted.

Marinette shook her head again, and said, softly, "I don't think Alya would like it if we went together."

Adrien's face fell as his heart sank. "Alya doesn't need to know."

Marinette snorted. "Alya is a journalist. She'd find out. Besides, I'm not willing to lie to her any more than I have to."

Adrien bowed his head, disappointed. He wasn't surprised, but he really was disappointed. He was fully aware that he wouldn't change her mind now. As soon as she mentioned Alya, he knew her mind was made up.

Even so, he muttered, "Alya doesn't control your life."

"I owe her so much that she basically does," Marinette said.

"But-"

"Adrien, I'm fine. Go home."

"Are you sure?"

"Go home."

She was gentle when she said it, but firm enough that he wasn't going to argue. It was a harsh reminder that, even though they were friends, there was nothing more between them. It was also a reminder of how much she trusted Chat Noir. Adrien was going to have to come clean soon. If he ever managed to make her fall for him again, he had to do it as Adrien. He had to make this up to her as Adrien. Otherwise she would be so disappointed and angry that _he_ was Chat Noir, and Ladybug could never trust him again, so Paris would suffer.  
He had to stop lying.

"Are you coming Adrien?" Marinette's voice drew his attention.

She and Nathanael were hovering by the door, ready to leave. He held the door open for her, but she was waiting for Adrien. Adrien gave a slight smile, but he had to take a moment to regroup.

"I'll catch you up," he said.

"Don't be too long, the cleaners will be in soon," Nathanael warned.

Adrien's smile vanished and he tried not to scowl. He repeated, firmly, "I'll catch you up."

"Come on Nath, walk me out," she said.

Adrien winced as he watched Marinette lean against Nathanael, and limp beside him as they headed through the door. He just caught glimpse of Nathanael turning red when the door slammed shut between them. Plagg peered out of his bag and looked around the empty room.

"That could have been better," Plagg said.

"I know," Adrien sighed

"You really messed that up."

"I know."

"Usually my kittens mess up because of something practically unavoidable, and I take the blame because it's my bad luck that caused it, but this? This was all you!"

"I know Plagg! I know!" Adrien snapped.

Plagg's ears flattened, and he reeled back in surprised. Quietly, he asked, "What're you going to do?"

"I don't know. I have to fix this. Paris is going to fall apart if Ladybug stops trusting me," Adrien said.

"So no more visiting Marinette as Chat Noir?" Plagg asked.

Adrien groaned, pained. "It's going to kill me to only be able to see her in school."

"It'll be worth the pain kid. Trust me," Plagg sighed.

He knew a lot about being separated from the girl he loved. At least when Adrien saw Marinette he got to talk to her. Plagg hadn't been able to talk to Tikki in what felt like forever. If Ladybug was angry with Chat Noir that likely wouldn't change. They could be doomed to be separated by that single step between them until they left school. Then what? He wouldn't even see her.  
Yeah, Plagg knew a thing or two about being separated. It always hurt. But it was worth it for the reunion.

"Come on, lets catch her up," Adrien said.

Outside on the street it was already beginning to get dark. It was cold to. Marinette shivered. Nathanael took it as fear at the idea of walking home alone.

He plucked up the courage to ask, "Can I walk you home Marinette?"

Marinette was taken by surprise by his offer. Mostly by how different it was from Adrien's offer. Adrien's really was an offer, giving her a choice, but Nathanael was asking for permission. However it wasn't far to go home, her leg was mostly heeled.

"You really don't need to," she said.

Nathanael stammered and fiddled with his bag strap nervously. "Usually Chat Noir walks you home, but he's not around now, and I'd like to walk you home. It'd ease my mind to make sure you were safe."

She wrinkled her nose. "Nath-"

"Please?"

Marinette sighed. He seemed so genuinely concerned about her wellbeing, that she gave up the argument, and just nodded. "Alright. If it'll make you feel better."

Nathanael beamed. He was still flushed pink, but utterly delighted at this chance to let him walk with her. Adrien appeared at the door just in time to see her link her arm through Nathanael's and head off towards her house. His jaw dropped. He stared at them as they walked away, without so much as a glance back at him. The colour drained from his face. His arms fell and his stomach twisted. A ball formed his throat. A dull, painful ache in his chest forced hot tears into his eyes. His legs felt numb. His chest was tight.  
His heart was broken.  
Everything was made a thousand times worse when he heard her musical laugh on the breeze. Now he understood why Alya was so mad at him. He made Marinette feel like this, and this... sucked.  
By the time the car pulled up to take him home, he was still staring at the last place he had seen them. They were gone now. Vanished along the streets. Plagg had to push him towards the car to make him move. The car door shut behind him, and suddenly he wasn't cold. He could feel every part of him that the cold had dumbed. Every part now ached to know why him.  
Why did she choose him?  
What did he have that Adrien didn't?  
Plagg curled up in a ball on Adrien's lap, and purred softly. Silent, heartbroken tears had been falling down Adrien's cheeks for ages now and he hadn't noticed. He was dead on his feet, and there was one question on his mind.

 _why?_

She wouldn't tell him. She wouldn't tell him the truth for fear of hurting him. She was like that. Kind and wonderful even if it hurt her. He didn't want a lie. Even a well-crafted, caring one. And if she wouldn't tell him, there was someone she would tell.

"Plagg, claws out."

Marinette attempted to measure Tikki's head size using a ribbon tape measure. The problem with that was the end of the tape fluttered down against her belly, and made her wriggle.

"Tikki stand still!"

"It tickles!"

"Aw come on, it's only for a second! I just have to-"

Tikki exploded into a fit of laughter and fell to the floor kicking her legs and giggling. Marinette sighed and smiled, defeated but amused.

"I'm going to have to measure you in your sleep to figure out how big your head is," Marinette tutted.

"Not as big as some kwamis!" Tikki argued, indignantly.

Trixx, for example, had a large head. Not huge, but wide, and those long ears of hers didn't help. Marinette hooked her index finger to rub the upper flat against Tikki's cheek gently.

"I'm not worried about all kwamis, I'm worried about you. I don't want you getting stick because of the cold!"

"I've been around for millions of years Marinette, it's not going to be a harsh winter that kills me," Tikki pointed out.

"No, it'll be the flu you catch because of it!" Marinette countered.

Tikki pouted. "Anything I wear while transforming can cause your powers to be damaged!"

"Then I'll forget the jumper, and knit you a hat and a scarf, which are easier to take off."

"But your arm!"

"That's another reason to knit you a hat. All the energy you're putting into healing my arm can't be good. If it makes you weaker, and then the cold gets in, you could get really sick again. I couldn't bear that."

All of her points were valid, but what won it for Marinette was her stubborn concern for Tikki's health. To the kwami it was silly. It was rare for kwamis to get sick and it was never the cold that caused it. Even so, her protective human charms swayed Tikki.

"Alright. One hat. But mind out for my antennas, they're my best feature!"

"I thought your eyes were," Marinette said.

"Really? You said I was a big ugly bug when we first met," Tikki reminded her.

Marinette wrinkled her nose guiltily. "And now I think you're beautiful all over. I'll make you a hat to match. All you have to do, is stand-"

The moment the tape measure brushed against her she burst into giggles again. It was hopeless! Marinette threw her head back and groaned in frustration. It was fortunate she did, because she spotted Chat Noir landing on her balcony. Marinette barely had time to scoop up Tikki and hide her between the plush cat toys on her shelf before he opened the skylight and let in a burst of cold.

"Marinette-"

"Shut that! It's freezing out there!" Marinette squeaked.

Chat Noir blinked in surprise, but turned back to do as she said. Tikki had a few more precious seconds to settle herself in her hiding spot. Marinette turned her chair to look up at him as he swung down from the bed.

"Hey princess."

"Hey kitty, what're you doing here?" She asked, calmer now.

He shrugged. All the way here he'd been trying to figure out what to say. Now he was here he was lost for words.

"I wanted to make sure you got home safe," he said.

She chuckled. "I'm a big girl now kitty, I can walk by myself."

"Is that what you did?" He asked, pointedly. "Walk by yourself?"

"No as it happens," she said.

"No?" He repeated, surprised. He had half expected her to deny it. "Adrien walked you home?"

"No, Nathanael."

"Oh? Why not Adrien?"

Marinette tilted her head. His eyes were a little too wide, his chest was puffed put, his fists were clenched, and his tail kept flicking back and forth. Top that off with the fact he hadn't even bothered to change his hair this time and he looked a little manic.

"Are you ok Chat? You seem a little... wild?"

"I'm ok, why not Adrien though?" He asked, too fast.

Marinette stammered between conversations for a moment, and then shrugged. "No reason really. He was waiting for his car and I was ok with walking. Nathanael has to walk the same was as me anyway so it's not as far out of his way."

"Oh so it was just convenience? Wouldn't a car be more convenient, didn't Adrien offer?" Chat asked, sharply.

"Yeah, he did, but I'm ok walking, Chat seriously are you ok?" Marinette asked, concerned.

"Nathanael doesn't live _very_ close to you. He would still have had to walk. Adrien could have given both of you a lift, why didn't you ask?" Chat asked firmly.

"I didn't ask either of them for anything."

"You didn't?"

"No."

That seemed to shake up everything that Chat had been expecting. She didn't ask Nathanael to walk with her. He offered. But Adrien offered. Why did she let Nathanael but not Adrien? He still didn't have an answer.

"Then why did you-"

"Look, Adrien asked if I wanted a lift, and I didn't. Nathanael asked if he could walk with me. Adrien offered an opportunity, and Nathanael asked for one. To ease his worry apparently, but that's not the point-"

"To ease his worry?"

"That's what he said. He said he saw you walking him home so often he was worried about letting me go alone, just in case. He was just doing your job for you,"

In more ways than one. She didn't appear to understand that. He wasn't just a protector of the city, he was her partner. How could she let Nathanael try to replace him? Cats don't share.

"Besides, Alya wouldn't shoot me for letting Nathanael take me home, she might if I took Adrien."

"But-"

"No more buts, why do you look like a shaken can of coke about to be opened?" She asked, firmly.

"I..." only one thing Adrien could think of, she would know was a lie, but she wouldn't be able to tell him that without giving the game away. It was a cheat, but it was the best he could come up with. "Akuma."

She raised an eyebrow, and looked unimpressed. "An akuma?"

He nodded, slowly. "Yeah. Akuma. This one really shook me up and I wanted to make sure everyone I care about is safe."

Marinette's face didn't change. She kept a stubbornly unimpressed look, waiting for a confession that wouldn't come. Chat bowed his head, his ears twitching anxiously. He thought she was going to tell him off. Her gaze trailed across his face. The anxiety showed through. Something had happened. Not an akuma, but something to make him worry. Worry about her. That made her heart melt.

"Chat, come here."

"It's ok, I just-"

"Come here."

It wasn't a tone to be argued with. Timidly, he let go of the bed post he was clinging too, and edged towards her. She waited, frozen with her arms folded, until he was just within arm's reach.  
Marinette's injured hand brushed against his claws, and she laid it against his upper arm, and eased him closer. Her hand moved from his claw the side of his torso. The other moved up to his shoulder, and around his neck. Suddenly she pressed herself against his chest so quickly he caught his breath. She was so warm and soft. Even when she squeezed him, it was gentle, but firm. Chat's jaw hung open. Whatever he had expected, this wasn't it. All too quickly, she pulled away. Chat wanted to yank her back and wrap his arms around her to just hold her there, against him. He desperately wanted to, he _ached_ to. But he couldn't. he clenched his fist to stop himself from trying.  
Marinette's hand slid back down into his, and she held his gaze stubbornly, which had his heart beat so fast and so hard his head felt dizzy.

"I don't know what's going on with you, or why you care so much about me and Adrien - or me alone in fact - but I'm ok. I'm perfectly fine. I promise."

That, he felt, would have been a perfect opportunity to kiss her. He would have been right. But he pulled back instead. If Marinette fell for Chat Noir it would mess everything up. She would be so angry with Adrien that all of their friendship that they'd scrambled to keep together, would vanish. Ladybug wouldn't trust him. Hawkmoth would exploit that. There was too much riding on this. It was too bug a risk. But he dared to ask one more question, desperate for an answer.

"Do you still love Adrien?" He asked, quietly.

"Again with Adrien?!" She asked, mildly irritated.

"Last one, I promise," he lied. "Is there any part of you, no matter how small, still in love with him?"

Marinette sighed. She let her hands run down his arms and pulled away. For a moment, her little finger lingered on his, but even that wouldn't last. She moved her bad arm against her good, timidly, and bowed her head.

"I don't know," she confessed.

"You don't know?" He repeated, torn between hope and devastation.

"There was so much going on in my life the day I met him. I met someone I wasn't so sure about and we were butting heads, but we had _just_ managed to accept one another, and I'd just met Alya, and Ladybug and - you, had just started defending us. All of that took a while to actually make an impact on me. There's a chance that the positivity of all of those things hit me at the exact moment I took that umbrella, and the electricity in the air made me focus on him, it was all a big misunderstanding."

Oh. There was the devastation. "Which... which would mean you never... never loved him?"

Her mouth twitched like she wanted to smile but couldn't. "There's where it falls down. I spent so long trying to make him love me, that I can't believe I didn't fall for him. Part of me at least must have. Probably still does."

Ah, there was the hope rising again. "So you do still love him?"

"I don't know Chat," she sighed, "but it's not like it matters anyway. _He_ doesn't love _me_. And Alya's right. I deserve to be with someone who does."

"Someone like Nathanael?"

His voice was strange as he tried to pin back the pain in it. Marinette stared at him. She felt so exposed when he looked at her like that. With those huge green eyes like he knew something she didn't. Maybe he did. Maybe he understood how she felt about him, even though it felt tangled up like Christmas lights to her now. She didn't like this. She didn't want to fall for him now. What if it was another misunderstanding? What if he was just a rebound? If she hurt him, he would never trust Ladybug again. Too much was riding on this. She couldn't hurt him. Paris would suffer. But she had to know...

"Why do you care?"

Chat Noir couldn't tell her why, obviously. Instead he had to tell her _most_ of the truth. "I care about you. I don't want to see you hurt again."

"Why? Why me? Why care about me?" She insisted.

He bit his lip and felt his ears go red. "Because you're a good person princess. One of the best. Just like my lady."

She sighed, dejected. Chat Noir always loved Ladybug. How disappointed he would be to find out that she actually was Marinette.

"You have no idea."

Chat Noir reached for her hand. "Is everything ok Mari?"

His heart beat nervously. She never let Adrien call her Mari. She said it was childish. Only Alya called it that because "she's like family!" Coming from Chat Noir, she barely seemed to register it.

"I'm... fine. You're back to walking me home tomorrow. Don't forget it," she warned.

"I won't. Pawmise," he said.

She smiled, and nodded. For a moment he thought - he hoped - she was going to hug him again. She didn't. They stood, staring at each other, each desperate to kiss the other, both terrified of their lies.

"MARINETTE!"

Her father's voice was loud in the silence between them, and shattered the tension. Now they could breathe again. Marinette pulled her eyes towards the ground, away from Chat Noir.

"Coming Papa!" She called. Then, lower, said, "see you tomorrow kitty."

"Yeah... tomorrow," Chat whispered. She shut the door behind her, and he allowed his breath to form the words, "my lady."

Which gave Tikki a heart attack.

Adrien waited in the bushes until Nino tugged Marinette's arm and the two of them wandered over to the food stall together. At least Nino was still willing to help him. Once Alya was alone, he hurried over and sat down beside her.

There wasn't even a pause before he said, "I have a problem."

"You are a problem," Alya smirked.

"You said you weren't mad at me anymore!" Adrien whined.

Alya smiled at him, playfully, and leaned her head on her arm. "Sorry. It was right there, I couldn't resist. What's the problem?"

He took a deep breath. "I'm in love with Marinette."

Alya's smile became a scowl and shook her head firmly. "You're not good enough for her."

"I know, that's the problem," he sighed.

Alya frowned again. She shifted uncomfortably. "See you've put me in a really awkward situation here. I don't like seeing my friends put themselves down, or hurt, and you're my friend so I want to say "don't worry you're perfect" but I also don't want you to think that means it's ok for you to break her heart again."

Adrien shook his head. He knew she would say something like that. It was her nature. He was her friend. Alya protected her friends. But if it came to a civil war, her loyalties were always with Marinette. Which was why he was here.

"Alya, please, I don't want to hurt her, I just... I made a mistake and I should have said yes and now I don't know what to do."

"On one hand I want Marinette to be happy and I know somewhere deep inside her she still loves you and you'll make her happy. On the other you already hurt her once so badly she cried until she couldn't breath and then caused Mylene to have a broken leg, and -"

"And these stitches!"

Alix appeared from nowhere, pointed to her healed stitches, and made Adrien jump. He didn't expect anyone to be around. Especially not Alix, who had no idea... she couldn't understand. He didn't want her to.

"Alix, sorry, this is private."

Ignoring him, Alix sat down across from Adrien and Alya. "Everyone's seen you pining after her. It's ridiculous. If you like her, why did you break her heart?"

Adrien shied back. Even though part of him knew all the girls knew what he'd done, and that they cared about Marinette, he didn't expect them to be so defensive of her. Marinette didn't need Chat Noir to protect her. She had an army.

"It's more complicated than that!" He stammered.

Alix stared him down. She was incredibly intimidating for a short girl. "Is it?"

"There was another girl, and-"

Alix thumped the table. "Marinette is no one's rebound, no matter how perfect he is."

"It's not like that!" Adrien insisted.

"It better not be. You didn't see her at the party Adrien. We won't let you hurt her again," Alix warned.

"Alix! Come look at this," Kim called.

Alix rolled away backwards on her roller-skating, and gestured that she was keeping her eyes on him. Adrien felt an ominous sinking feeling in his stomach. Alix, who was nothing to do with this, didn't trust him with Marinette. Alya definitely wouldn't.

"I won't hurt her again. I swear I won't. She means so much to me and she hates me!" He whined.

Alya huffed. She took a deep breath, and tried to think of a way to explain this clearly. "It doesn't matter anyway. She's moved on. She's been talking about some guy she likes, she won't tell me who yet until she knows she does like him and she's not just rebounding from you. That's what a good person does."

 ** _Thump_**. His heart beat hard. Sure, he had thought she liked someone else. But now that he heard her say it out loud, he felt the full impact like an elephant sat on his chest.

He tried to brush it off, but it didn't work. "I... who?"

Alya shrugged. "I don't know."

He wouldn't have believed her if she didn't seem so genuinely disappointed about it. Alya must have felt so guilty for pushing her into confessing only to have her heart broken. Now Marinette wouldn't tell her who this new guy was. Of course she'd think it was because of the broken heart, and not because Marinette was afraid that she wasn't in love, but on the rebound. Well Alya wasn't about to let her down again.

"You must have some ideas?" Adrien insisted.

"Of course I do, but you're missing the point-" Alya argued.

"Is it Nathanael?" Adrien demanded.

Alya stared at him in annoyance as he stared back, desperate for any sign that she knew who it was. They only looked away when they were interrupted by Nino.

"What are you two up to?" He asked suspiciously.

Adrien gasped urgently, expecting Marinette to be there too. She wasn't. Adrien frowned.

"Nino? Where's Marinette?" He asked.

"Over there with Nathanael," Nino said.

Adrien gasped, "No!"

He glanced out across the area, searching for her. His eye caught the red of Nathanael's hair and his heart missed a beat. She was smiling with him again. That flawless smile of hers that made her eyes shine like stars, the sun to shine brighter, and his knees go weak. But it wasn't directed at him. His chest ached as the elephant got heavier. Alya laid a hand on his shoulder. Her voice was gentle, but firm, and unwilling to argue.

"Adrien she's finally content on her own. If you mess that up, and I'm involved _again_ then I've helped you hurt her twice. I can't let that happen. I'm sorry Adrien, but no. I won't help you."

Marinette threw her head back so the veil of golden sunlight lit her hair and gave her a halo. How had he gone so long without realising she was his lady? Now he knew, how could he give her up?

"Please Alya... please..." he begged.

She looked pained, but she shook her head. "I can't."

Desperate and out of options, Adrien went for the next best plan. Whining to his parent.

" _Nino_!"

With a bored sigh and a warning tone, Nino said, "Alya."

Appalled by this, she squeaked, "Nino!"

In an equally bored, warning tone, Nino said, "Adrien."

"Alya!" Adrien whined.

"Adrien!" Alya snarled.

"Alya!" Marinette called.

"Marinette!" Alya gasped.

Marinette looked puzzled to see Adrien sitting there. "Adrien?"

With a love-struck smile, he breathed, "Marinette."

"Marinette?" Nathanael asked why she had stopped in one word.

Adrien scowled. "Nathanael."

"Adrien," Nathanael said, nervously.

Nino stood up with his food. "I'm out."

He chose a smart moment to leave. He walked away with a stubborn stalemate that poor Nathanael couldn't understand for the life of him. If he had known even a little bit more of what was going on here, maybe he would have walked away too.

"Adrien, everything's due Friday, can you finish those pages by then?" Nathanael asked.

"What pages?" Adrien asked.

Marinette gasped, "Don't say that!"

"Sorry. What pages?" He asked, quieter.

"You said you'd write the script for our project, so Nathanael only had to worry about colourings and I could build it," Marinette said.

 _oh crap._ "Right. Yeah, no, I'll get on that tonight. I'll finish them in time. Promise."

Marinette gave a little sigh of relief, but she and Nathanael shared a knowing look. Something would come up tonight, a photo shoot or a fitting, or everything getting scraped so they had to have a revamp meeting, or something equally sudden, and it wouldn't get done. Annoying as it was, Marinette could forgive him. It wasn't Adrien's fault he was unreliable.

"I'll catch you later Marinette," Nathanael said.

"See you later Nath," Marinette smiled.

Adrien's stomach twisted at the nickname. He scowled. Nathanael wasn't any better than him. Adrien made one mistake, one, and now Nathanael was getting everything he wanted. One stupid mistake.  
Alya glowered at Adrien for how he was glaring at Nathanael. She wasn't particularly close to Nathanael, she barely knew him to be honest, but the way he was staring was unacceptable.

Marinette tilted her head as she took a seat beside Alya.

"Alya? You ok? You look a little... murderous."

"I'll be fine," she turned to look at Marinette instead. "Wanna play video games tonight?"

"I'm walking with Chat, but you could come to mine," she offered.

Alya suddenly lit up. "So it's Chat now is it? My you two are getting close!"

Marinette giggled and blushed and shrugged. "Shut up Alya."

"Have you told him the doctor says you're ready to walk normally yet?" Alya asked.

Adrien felt his heart stop. "What?"

"Yeah the doctor said my legs healed and I can walk. My arm's going to be another week or so," Marinette shrugged, and winced, to prove her point.

"He said it was amazing. She's a medical marvel!" Alya smirked.

"He said it was fascinating, I'm not a medical marvel!" Marinette insisted.

"You say potato," Alya shrugged.

Adrien forced a smile, even though he was aching inside. Now he would see her even less than usual.

"Wow that's... that's awesome Marinette. But if you can walk, why are you walking with Chat?"

Marinette shrugged, but her ears turned pink. Adrien didn't notice. Alya put it down to the cold wind breezing around them. "I like the company. There aren't many boys who would carry you across a road on their backs you know."

"Ooh la-la!" Alya elbowed her.

"Shut up!" Marinette laughed.

Plagg raised an eyebrow. He peered out of Adrien's bag to try and see her face. Alya was grinning at her suggestively still, and waggled her eyebrows whenever she caught Marinette's eye. Every time Marinette shoved her playfully, laughed, and told her to stop it. But that little smile where she bit her lip, that was a dead giveaway. Somewhere along the fumbled flirting and silly teasing jokes, Marinette had fallen for him.  
For Chat Noir.  
For Adrien.

"Oh no."

Nathanael overheard Plagg say "oh no", and thought he had heard "oh Nath." Since Marinette was the only person on the table who called him that, he looked up.

"Did you say something Marinette?" He asked.

Marinette was thinking about Chat Noir again, and worried she had said something out loud about him, "oh, I, um, did I? Um, n-no I don't think so! N-no!"

She turned pink all over and Alya burst into laughter. Adrien forced a smile, but he balled his hands into fists and pushed them into the seat hard enough to hurt.  
 _he_ was supposed to be the one making her tongue tied. _he_ was supposed to be the one to make her blush. _he_ was supposed to be the one she got flustered thinking about. Him. Not Nathanael. Adrien was dying to lean over the table and grab her. He was dying to pull her close against him, so they would feel each other's chests rise and fall to fit together as they breathed. He was desperate to kiss her again, hard and passionate, and wipe _Nathanael_ out of her mind for good. That way he would be the only one she thought of. He would be the only one to make her smile like that. He would know it belonged to him.  
The seat cracked beneath him, and the pain was so sharp he was certain he'd broken a finger. Marinette and Alya looked up in alarm. Adrien leapt to his feet, clutching his hand to his chest.

"Excuse me," he muttered.

The girls shared a concerned look as he ran off across the playground. Plagg crawled out of Adrien's pocket to escape the persistent bumping.

"I'll tell you what kid, you've got a cataclysm all of your own!"


	7. Chapter 7

"I'm telling you, he knows! He knows who you are, he called you ladybug!" Tikki insisted.

They were still waiting on the steps to the school. Chat Noir hand yet to make an appearance. Alya had forced her to promise she'd call when she got home.

"But how would he even have found out? I haven't even seen him in a month. Well Ladybug hasn't anyway," Marinette shrugged.

"He must have found out before the party. Why else would he suddenly care enough to walk you home every day?" Tikki asked

"I..."

"You?"

Marinette's face fell as she came up blank. She had no idea why he had suddenly started walking her home, or caring about her at all actually. This seemed the only logical explanation.

"He only likes me because I'm Ladybug?" She said, softly.

Tikki winced at the pain in her voice. "N-no, don't take that away from this. He likes you, Marinette. He liked you even when he didn't know who you were, and he hasn't told you he knows, which means he respects the rules you made!"

"Even if it was just to trick me into falling for him," she muttered.

"I don't think it was a trick," Tikki insisted.

"No. You're right Tikki. He's always flirting with everyone. It's just my stupid fault for falling for it!"

Marinette groaned and buried her head in her hands. She'd fallen for basic human decency again! You know what they say, fool her once, shame on her, fool her twice, heartbroken forever. Tikki whined softly.

"No. It isn't! that's not what I meant!"

The akuma siren went off then. Marinette gasped and raised her head from her hands Tikki groaned. Hawkmoth chooses now for the first akuma in a month?! Typical. He has to be the centre of everything.

"At least now we know why he hasn't come to get me," Marinette sniffed.

"Is your arm ok?" Tikki asked, anxiously.

"It's my ankle I'm worried about. If I twist it again it could set me back weeks!" Marinette groaned.

"Then be extra careful." Tikki stretched her hands across Marinette's head as far as she could, and rested her forehead against Marinette's. "I believe in you."

Plagg glanced anxiously at the flame throwing akuma currently melting through the bars holding up the telephone wires, and back at Adrien.

"How's your hand?" He asked.

Adrien flexed his hand through the bandages and winced. "It hurts."

Plagg whined softly. "I don't think you can fight."

Adrien gazed out of the window, at the akuma. She had set her sights on the Eiffel tower. There was something about this ridiculously tall and sharp, beloved iconic of a landmark, that drew villains towards it.

"I don't think I have a choice," Adrien said, determinedly.

"What about Marinette?" Plagg asked.

A flash of red hair flashed through his mind and he was suddenly grateful for Nathanael. At least he would keep her safe until she could transform. Or the other way around.

"Something tells me she can get herself home safe," he said.

Plagg hovered in front of Adrien, and pressed a paw on his forehead. "Be careful kid."

This was strangely intimate for Plagg. It didn't really settle Adrien's nerves, but he was grateful anyway. At least he wasn't going into this alone.

"Don't worry Plagg, I will be."

Ladybug gulped when she saw Chat Noir on the roof top waiting for her. In her sudden panic, she misjudged her distance, and landed on the edge of the roof. She yelped as she fell backwards. Chat darted forward and grabbed her hand to pull her back. He cried in pain as he did. Ladybug, stable now, gasped, and wrapped her arms around where he crouched, cradling his hand against him.

"What's wrong?" She asked, anxiously.

"I hurt my hand," he groaned.

"How? Are you ok? Did I do it?" She gasped.

"Um..." sort of?

Her hand ran down his shoulder, and down to his hand, taking it in her own. He felt his whole arm tingling at her touch. It died with a shot of pain when she took his hand. She winced when he cried out again.

"Sorry. Can you use it?"

"I'll be ok. Cats always land on their feet, not their hands," he said.

"You frequently prove that wrong though."

Chat wanted to argue, but thinking back there were plenty of times that she was right. He had landed in and on every angle, he could think of. If it weren't for his indestructible suit, he was sure he'd he dead several times over.

"What about your leg? You're limping," he pointed out.

Marinette was nervous about using her bad leg, even now it was practically healed. She limped because she was too timid to put it on the ground properly.

"What happened?" He asked.

"You said have a girl's night to mend a broken heart. It worked. We broke bones instead," she smirked.

"Did you use your powers to cheat, naughty?" he flirted, instinctively.

She bit her lip but smile, "no, we just got a little too rough."

"Nice, I like it when you're rough," he smirked.

Without missing a beat, she countered, "I like it when you are, maybe we should be rough together some time."

Immediately they both turned red. Alya would have been proud. Flirting was a lot more embarrassing when you actually meant it. it was harder to be smooth when you worried about being rejected.

"maybe when your bones are healed," he muttered.

"now I wish I was a medical marvel," she said.

Chat couldn't help chuckling. Even hurt she joked with him. That's what he wanted out of this relationship. Puns for days. Ladybug smirked, but her heart beat hard. If he understood that joke, it meant he was there when she and Alya argued about it. to be fair though, they had that argument multiple times throughout the day, so it could be anyone around the school. or maybe he just thought it was funny. The akuma cackled as she melted through the towers leg. It sent a harsh creak across the entire city. The heroes gasped.

"Is your leg ok my lady?" He asked

"It hurts a little," she admitted.

"I can take it from here," he declared.

She pulled him back, "With your hand? No chance!"

"You can't fight," he argued.

"Neither can you!" She argued back.

That's when it hit them. They couldn't fight. Neither of them had ever prepared for what would happen if neither of them could fight. Well they could worry later. Right now, Paris needed them.

"What can we do?" He asked.

"What we always do," she said firmly, and linked her bad arm through his. "We work together."

Chat Noir gave her a weak smile, and clung onto her shoulder with his good hand. He had carried her around on his staff a dozen times before. Now it was her turn. Off they went, swinging out over the city, towards the Eiffel tower, ready to share their limbs so the other wouldn't be hurt. He was her legs, making sure that she got into the right position as fast as possible, and she was his hands, making sure he didn't need to use his staff for anything. It would have been impossible for anyone to look at how they worked together like this, and not think they were soulmates. They were far too in sync. Far too perfect together.  
Working together like this meant they had to concentrate far better than they ever had to before. They defeated the akuma, while playing the floor is made of lava (which was useful given that that floor was made of lava) by balancing on the top of Chat Noir's staff. She held it up and stable, and he had her sat in his lap. They never got close enough to use their powers, and yet-

"Bye-bye little butterfly."

With time to spare, and no one expecting them, they re-joined to hold onto one another, and Ladybug swung them back to a roof top. Almost as soon as they landed, she sat down and began rubbing her leg to get rid of any kind of pains. Chat Noir sat beside her, stretching out his muscles and groaning. She let out a deep sigh and rolled her head to look at him.

"How's your hand?"

"I think there's a splinter in it still," he admitted.

"You've to get that out with your teeth," she said.

He frowned. "Teeth?"

"I'll-" she double thought that offer, "I'd say you should get your kwami to do it. Tikki is very good at healing things."

"Is that her name? Tikki? It's pretty," Chat said.

Ladybug smiled, "She is too."

"So you are," Chat said, softly.

Her stomach twisted. Usually they could tease each other and flirt and laugh it off, but now things felt different. Each of them were so desperate for the love the other was never going to give that this flirting felt almost cruel. She bowed her head.

"Kitty? Can I ask your help again?" She asked.

If it was about Nathanael Chat would rather throw himself off of the rooftop right now. It was hurt just as much and save time.

"Any time. Agony Crazy Cat Aunt is here for you."

Ladybug took a few nervous breaths. In the cold air they puffed out like silvery smoke. Chat counted three before she next spoke.

"After Adrien broke my heart I started talking to a friend and we decided maybe I didn't love Adrien like that and it was a misunderstanding."

Ouch. That still hurt, even if he'd heard it all before. "Right? And?"

"And now I think I like... someone else," she refused to look up at him, just in case her eyes gave it away. "I know it's a little soon, but it's been like a month. Do you think I'm ready to move on?"

It was over a month. It was closer to two now. Not that Chat Noir could point that out, because that would seem like he had been counting the days. He had, but he didn't want her to know.

Chat gave an innocent shrug, "I couldn't say."

"But do you think it could be real this time? Not just a rebound?" She asked.

"I think-" Chat was so close to telling her the truth. That Nathanael wasn't right for her and she should be with him, and he was Adrien, and he was sorry for hurting her because every time he thought about it, it made him feel worse and worse, because he loved her. Utterly and hopelessly. But she looked up at him, with those shining blue eyes full of worry, and her eyebrows furrowed, and biting her lip. He didn't like that. He never wanted to see her like that again. If Nathanael could make that happen, then Chat Noir and Adrien had to step away. The agony was excruciating, but he could take it all twice if it stopped her ever hurting again.

"I think you deserve someone that makes you happy. Even if it's not a relationship destined to last long... at least it'll be happy."

She smiled softly and bowed her head again. "He means too much to me. If it goes too wrong, I'll lose everything. Everyone would suffer."

"That's a bit dramatic."

"You once declared the city would burn because your hair wasn't perfect."

"It would have! I was so distracted it felt all wrong!" He argued.

She laughed for a moment, and the pain eased enough that he could smile back. She was so beautiful and kind and smart and broken. It was all he could do to stop himself trying to kiss it better.

"If I hurt him... I know what it's like to try and work with someone you used to love who hurt you. Even if you want to forgive them, it's hard to be alone with them. Even if you're friends again, simple things like walking home together make you think about how different it would be if he had said yes. That pain comes flooding back again," she pulled her legs up towards her chest to hide her face behind her knees. "I hate that."

Oh, no, sorry, _that's_ when the agony became excruciating. Guilt crushed him like a can in a hydraulic clamp.

"Adrien did a lot of damage to you didn't he?" He whispered.

"Not as much as I could do now. He's been my friend for ages. More than a friend. He's my everything. The one person I have all the time, no matter what happens. I can't lose that."

Chat sighed. He pushed through the pain with the best advice he could muster. "Your problem is that you're convinced it's going to end badly."

"What if it does?"

"What if it doesn't?"

"What?"

"What if you grow apart naturally and break up together? Or, maybe you've met the man you're going to marry. What then? Are you going to miss out on that because you're scared?" He asked.

Ladybug sighed. "He's been in love with me forever. I don't want him to feel like I'm settling for him when I'm not."

"He'd understand," Chat said.

Ladybug reached out and took him by the wrist. She insisted, stubbornly, trying to make him understand. "I'm not settling. I'm choosing him."

He held his hand upon hers on his wrist. "I hope he knows what an honour that is."

"I think he does," she said.

He wanted to tell her the truth. How he truly felt. But he couldn't. Instead, he said, "I'm happy when you're happy LB."

 _I love you Chat Noir_. "Thanks Kitty. That means a lot."

Her gaze trailed down his arm again. He was still so strong, and so handsome, but she still wondered if she could beat him in an arm wrestle.

"What are you thinking?" He asked.

She smirked. "When your hand is better, we should arm wrestle. I bet I could beat you."

"You beat me at a lot of things, but not this. I will win this," he smirked back.

"Bring it on chat noir!" She chuckled.

She moved to lay her head against his arm again, and hesitated. Even though she'd done it before it suddenly felt too intimate. That hesitation shattered the last bit of hope Chat had had that she could love him back. She pulled away to sit up and his heart fell. Her heart belonged to Nathanael now. Even if he didn't deserve it.

"I have to go my family will be waiting for me," she said.

"Can I see you again soon?" He asked, hopefully.

"I..." Tikki's words was still in her mind. Whether or not she meant them, she was right. He only liked her because she was ladybug. "Ask Hawkmoth. He's the one in control."

"I thought you were," he frowned.

She groaned under her breath. "You have no idea."

He felt his chest ease but disappointment hit as he watched her go. It was hard to stay composed around her, but he wanted to always be by her side. Chat Noir - and Adrien - did want her to be happy. He wanted her to be happy even without him. But he couldn't just let her go. Nathanael had to know how lucky he was. He had to appreciate it. Which was why Nathanael wandered into his bedroom, dropped his bag on his bed, and promptly leapt two feet in the air in fear, to see Chat Noir's green eyes glowing in the shadowy corner of his room.

"Hello Nathanael," Chat purred as he slithered into the light.

"C-C-Chat Noir? What are you doing?" Nathanael stammered, nervously.

"Oh, nothing in particular," he said, breezily, "I just thought you and I should talk."

Chat wandered around the room, swinging his tail casually in his hand, and sticking close to the shadows so the only parts of the tail Nathanael could see were the bits of metal glinting in the low light. Nathanael gulped. Chat was an elusive figure at the best of times, but using the shadows to hide made it almost impossible to see anything but his eyes and occasionally his hair glistening. Not to mention the way he kept circling the room, like he was marking his territory. Nathanael would never be able to fight him, and honestly Chat wouldn't want to try, but intimidation? That was something he was good at. After all, he just had to act like his father.

"This is pretty," he curled a finger along the side of the first attempt at canvas painting that Nathanael had ever made.

Nathanael caught his breath in his throat. He did not like the drawing since it was a bad attempt with a lack of practice, but it was his and it was important to him as an artist. Chat Noir still had his cataclysm. Nathanael gulped.

"It's my mother," he explained.

"Aww, isn't that sweet?" He pulled.

He ran his claw over the top, dangerously close to the face on the canvas. Nathanael found himself holding his breath. Chat's hand fell from the canvas and moved to where a pile of sketchbooks sat.

"What'd you draw at school?" He asked, pointedly.

"Um, comic books usually," Nathanael swallowed nervously.

"Ah, comic books. Everybody wants to be a hero, right?" Chat's low voice was very sinister.

Nathanael stammered again, his heart beat pacing now. "S-s-sure."

Chat Noir flicked through the sketchbooks so hard that Nathanael felt his stomach twist anxiously. He didn't want another page to be torn out. Chloe had done that enough.

"Every hero needs someone to save too. A damsel in distress," chat said, casually.

"Do they?" Nathanael asked timidly.

"Of course." He slammed the book down on the desk, causing a huge bang that made Nathanael jump. Chat's claw pressed in beside an almost flawless drawing of Marinette in the Evillustrator arms, one leg in the air, smiling in awe. Chat's voice got darker. "There's yours."

"Marinette?" Nathanael blinked in surprise. Chat Noir was here about a friend from class?

"Yes. Marinette. Marinette is important to me you know," he said, firmly.

"Is she? Why?" Nathanael asked.

"Never you mind why!" Chat snapped. "The point is that she is. Very important. And clearly she is to you too."

Chat Noir tapped his claw against her picture again. Nathanael tilted his head and frowned. She did mean a lot to him. He had had a bad crush on her, but now he was dating - well he wasn't supposed to say, but she wouldn't approve this suggestion.

"She's just a friend."

Chat Noir scoffed, "That girl is not _just a friend_. She's hanging on your wall."

Now, if Chat Noir had paid more attention to the walls in Marinette's bedroom and seen those posters, perhaps he would have put two and two together and wouldn't be here right now. But he didn't. So he was. It went poorly.

"Marinette is just a school friend. We basically never talk either, we only started recently because we're project partners!" Nathanael insisted.

"Just the two of you, huddled in the corner of the library, its late, you're tired, you're alone, you walk her home, she makes a joke, you laugh and joke back, she laughs, and suddenly you're outside the bakery, close as you can get. Maybe there's a kiss? Just a little one? And then the next thing you know you're walking on sunshine and the prettiest girl in school is in love with you," Chat snarled.

"the prettiest girl in school is already in love with me," Nathanael insisted.

Chat noir slammed his good fist into the desk, making Nathanael gasp a shaky gasp. Chat Noir raised his voice momentarily before letting it fall back into a hiss.

"I know she is, and you should realise how much of an honour it is that she chose you. So many better people were cast aside so she could choose _you_. So you'd better treat the Lady well and with respect or-"

Nathanael winced as Chat pressed a hand against the pile of sketch books. He gasped softly as Chat's burning eyes bore into him.

"One word. You don't want to know what I can do with one word."

He ran his index finger along the top cover of the pile, like he was stroking it. Nathanael gulped. His stomach was by his knees, and he felt so helpless about it.

"You're not good enough for my lady, no one's good enough for my lady, but for some reason she chose you. If you ever hurt her, you will regret it."

Nathanael had once had a very similar conversation to this with Alya. To be entirely honest, he had no idea which one he feared more.

"I won't! I promise I won't, please, please just let them go!"

"One slip up. One tear. I'll be back."

"Please..."

Plagg covered his face with his hands. This would come back to bite them. It always did. Either Ladybug or Marinette was going to find out what happened, and Adrien would regret it. It was only a matter of time.


	8. Chapter 8

"Marinette, hey, how are you?" Adrien grinned.

"I'm fine, how are you?" She asked.

"I'm the same," he said.

This was a surprisingly cheery meeting for the two of them for the first time in months. Adrien still ached to kiss her, but it was easier to control now. He was happy if she was happy. Nathanael made her happy. Adrien would have to be satisfied with being her friend. At least he could spend time with her then.

"How's your arm?" He asked.

"Honestly? Healed. So is my leg. The doctor said he wanted to leave it on for another week because he wasn't sure the scans could be trusted," she chuckled.

They could. Tikki had healed her. Twelve weeks had been six. The doctors were amazed. Adrien, not so much.

"You'll be walking home alone from no one then. You won't need Chat Noir to walk you." He felt a surge of disappointment. He could have gotten closer to her as Chat Noir. He never hurt her.

"Unfortunately not," she smiled.

He raised an eyebrow. "Unfortunately?"

"I told you, I enjoy his company."

Adrien smiled. She hadn't said _his_ last time. Last time she just enjoyed company. Turns out she wanted him, specifically. A warm feeling lit his stomach. Being friends was great, but _damn_ he loved her so much.

"Did you finish the script?" She asked, hopefully.

Adrien's face fell slowly, confused and worried. "The... script?"

There was a look of humoured defeat in Marinette's eyes. Like she was not surprised he'd forgotten, and maybe even smug about having called it. "Let me guess, there was an emergency in wardrobe and another late-night fitting meant you didn't have time?"

Well that was a better excuse than any Adrien could come up with right now, and it was definitely better than the truth. He cocked his head and smiled, "How'd you know?"

She made a noise somewhere between a groan and a laugh.

"Here. I wrote this script. We'll tell Nathanael you wrote it, so it doesn't look like the two of us did all of the work, even if we actually did."

As Marinette reached into her bag to pull out a page or two of basic facts written like a script for their presentation, Adrien felt guilty and grateful at the same time.

"You're too awesome Marinette. I'm really sorry about everything I've done lately."

"Don't worry about it, it's done now, but don't let it happen again."

Adrien took the paper gratefully, and wondered how he was ever going to make things up to her. Then he had a strike of inspiration that made Plagg groan.

"Hey, do you and Alya and Nino wanna come for dinner tonight?!"

Marinette blinked in surprise. "Dinner?"

"Father's going to Milan for a week, and I'm all alone in the house after Natalie and gorilla leave," he explained.

"All four of us having a dinner cooked by your personal chef? That sounds..."

Adrien gulped nervously. Maybe this was a dumb idea. All four of them alone in a house could be so dangerous. But he _desperately_ wanted to spend more time with her, and to stop lying to her. She said herself they should be able to move on and be friends. Even if she didn't love him. Suddenly she grinned at him and he straightened up hopefully.

"Amazing!"

Adrien lit up again, "You'll come then?"

"What time do you want me there? I'll have to ask my parents."

"Of course. I suppose Chat Noir can bring you over if you're meeting him tonight. You can tell him the good news about your leg."

Marinette forced a smile, "Maybe."

Not bloody likely. Then she wouldn't have a good excuse to spend time with him anymore. She wasn't ready to give that up.  
When they gathered together to sit in their groups in preparation for their presentations, it took all of Adrien's might not to leap into the seat beside Marinette. That wasn't fair to her. If she wanted Nathanael, then _he_ could sit beside her. When he did, he slumped so much he looked like a tired jellyfish. Marinette nudged him gently.

"Are you ok Nath? You look exhausted," she said, softly.

Nathanael yawned and nodded. "I didn't get to finish the script. Chat Noir..."

His eyes widened as he remembered what they had talked about, and turned to stare at her in alarm. Fear bit into his chest. Adrien bit his lip and closed his eyes, nervously. Marinette's eyes widened in surprise, and pressed on, unaware of the fear that Nathanael felt.

"Chat Noir did what?" she asked, curiously.

"I'm not supposed to be talking to you," Nathanael said, in a low voice.

Marinette frowned. "What?"

"Chat Noir wouldn't like it," he said.

Marinette looked utterly puzzled. Adrien sank lower into his seat. Guilt rushed through him. perhaps he had been unnecessarily firm with Nathanael yesterday. Jealously had gotten the better of him. it so often did now, he was beginning to feel like a walking car crash.

"Nathanael, Chat Noir is a hero of Paris. I highly doubt he cares about you and me personally enough to stop us talking," Marinette said.

"He does though. He came to my room last night and threatened me," Nathanael insisted.

Marinette's eyes widened and her voice was sharp and shocked, and _angry_. Adrien sank so low in his seat his forehead touched the desk.

"He did _what_?!"

 _oh Plagg_ , Tikki thought, _this may be the end of you._

…

Marinette didn't wait for Chat Noir to appear like she had before. Adrien had offered to give her a lift again, and this time she took it. now they were side by side waiting for the car to arrive. Adrien was preparing himself for sitting beside her in the back of the car, anxiously, but Marinette lived so close there wasn't even any point in putting on a seatbelt. He didn't need to worry so much. Instead he should have been listening.

"Can you believe that cat? Even if I was in love with Nathanael, what right does that give him to threaten him? it's not like he's my personal defender! I've had my heart broken before, and he wasn't there to pick it up!"

Except that he was. he was there for her when she was ladybug. But that was different. He _was_ Ladybug's personal defender. He didn't know that Marinette was Ladybug, there was no reason for him to protect her. there was definitely no reason for this!

"You've been close recently, maybe he was just trying to protect his friend?" Adrien offered.

"But I don't need protection," Marinette insisted.

Adrien shrugged. "Maybe he just wants to see you happy."

"but I am happy."

"you are?"

"yeah. I have good friends, parents who love me, Ti- um, people I love. When I'm around them, I'm happy," she said.

Adrien felt a surge of affection for her again. "I'm happy you're happy."

Marinette glanced up at him in surprise. He flashed her a warm smile, and she couldn't help smiling back. Deep in her mind though, she wondered by he sounded so much like her kitty. The car drove up and they ended up so close together their knees touched. Marinette blushed. Inside she started screaming.

 _Not_ _this again._ Please _not this again_.

Fortunately, she could jump out of the car quickly, stammer through a thank you, and dash inside. She stumbled as she went, but Adrien smirked. They were a long way from when he had to carry her across the road.

Almost as soon as she had shut the door behind her, her phone appeared in her hand. She muttered hello to her parents and hurried to her room, texting all the way. Tikki peered over her shoulder.

"What are you going to do?" Tikki asked.

"I have to talk to him about this. He went too far, he threatened Nathanael!" Marinette pointed out.

"You've crossed lines before Marinette-"

"I apologised for them. Chat Noir keeps Ladybug in her place when she needs it. This is me keeping Chat Noir in his place."

"You, or Ladybug?" Tikki asked, concerned.

"Both. I am Ladybug," Marinette said, firmly.

There was a kind of viciousness in her tone as she pressed send. Tikki gulped _Good luck Plagg._

...

"Purrincess," Chat Noir beamed, as if he wasn't utterly terrified of facing her right now, "you didn't wait for me today."

Marinette scowled at him, arms folded, and clearly annoyed. Chat Noir wondered if he could run without her noticing she was there. Of course he couldn't. She was making direct eye contact with her. That Ladybug glare was enough to terrify Hawkmoth himself.

"Why?" She asked, simply, and dangerously.

He gulped. "Why what princess?"

"Don't play dumb, and don't call me that," she snarled.

"I'm feline like you're upset," cat puns, he learned harshly, do not always make things better.

"Chat Noir you know damn well why I'm upset! Why did you threaten Nathanael?!" She demanded.

He deflated, his shoulders sagged, and he asked, "Would you believe me if I said I didn't mean to?"

"Of course not! You don't _accidentally_ threaten to cataclysm a boy's entire art history! Why did you do it?" She demanded.

"I just wanted to talk-"

"To talk?"

Chat bowed his head and his ears dipped. "Alright, I wanted to intimidate him."

"Well mission accomplished! You should have seen our presentation today, he had six lines, and he stammered through everyone like he was waiting for you to turn up and cataclysm him for talking to me!"

Oh man their presentation had been a train wreck. Adrien was trying not to make eye contact with Marinette because he felt too guilty, Marinette was busy trying to decode what it meant that Chat Noir had done this, and Nathanael was stammering in terror when he opened his mouth. The facts were there, and had it been delivered in the same calibre they usually worked at, it would have easily beaten everyone's, and they would have been top of the class. Even Alya and Nino couldn't say anything good about it. Plagg didn't try, but Tikki said at least they knew the amount of hard work they'd put in, even if it fell at the last hurdle.

"It was a mistake. I'm sorry about it," Chat said, honestly. Guilt had been crushing him all day.

"You should be. You're a _hero_ Chat Noir! You're _my_ hero!"

Was it possible to feel utterly guilty and yet surprisingly hopeful at the same time? Chat did. He felt bad about it, but come on! _her_ hero! Then her voice dropped to low and hurt, like she was disappointed with him, and his tail fell between his legs.

"Paris relies on you, the people rely on you! How's it going to look if you go around acting like a hit man all the time?"

"I thought I could control myself. I was trying to be like my father and I got carried away-"

"Your _father_?! Nathanael couldn't sleep because he was worrying about how to tell me he didn't love me without hurting me because he was afraid of you, and you're telling me that's what your fathers like?"

Chat blushed mildly and muttered, "Um, well when you put it like that..."

Marinette felt a rush of pity for him. The only person she could think of with a father like that was Adrien, not that he ever liked to talk about it. At least his had an excuse. A multibillion Euro company was stressful to run. It didn't excuse his behaviour, but she could understand it.

"Why did you think you needed to say anything anyway?" She asked.

Chat shrugged slowly. "I thought... since Adrien hurt you, I should do all I could to stop Nathanael hurting you."

"Why?! It's not your job to stop my heart-breaking! It's not even Alya's job and she's better at it!" She stressed.

"You need more than one person in your corner," he muttered.

"I have! I have my mama to protect me from people here, papa to cook me comfort foods, Alya to help me find new crushes, and the girls to help me get over the last. I've got an army to help me, I don't need you intimidating people. I don't need it, and more importantly, I don't want it."

Chat blinked back warm tears. He knew this was justified but it hurt so much more than he had expected. "I was just trying to help."

"If I was in love with someone who was too scared to talk to me because you threatened them, in what way is that helpful?" She demanded.

"It's useful to me," he muttered.

She scoffed, "In what way?"

"Because it shows he's not brave enough to fight for you, and you deserve someone who is," Chat said, defiantly.

He felt terrible about it, obviously, but the more he thought about it, the more certain he was that Nathanael was not right for her. He didn't even try to argue with him. His drawings came first. It wasn't fair to say it'd always be like that if they did date, but it would be for long enough that she would accept coming second. That was unacceptable.

"What makes it your place to decide that?!" She demanded.

"I just don't think you should date him!" he insisted.

"That's not your decision to make!" she hissed.

"I know! I'm sorry!" he threw his hands up.

She continued, firmly, "You don't get to choose who I fall for."

"That's why I didn't want to tell you!" he insisted.

"Why did you even think that?!" she demanded.

"I'm sorry!"

"Why doesn't he meet your grand standards anyway?!"

"Because he's not..."

Chat trailed off. Literally anything he could have said there would go so poorly he thought it would be easier to just say nothing. Marinette, however, wasn't about to let him get away with that.

"Not what?" she demanded.

"Not..."

" _Not what_?!"

"He's not good enough for you ok?!" the stress caused him to raise his voice.

She looked shocked and raised hers back, furiously. "Not _good_ enough?! If he makes me happy, isn't that good enough?"

"Of course, but I just think you shouldn't be with _him_!" chat spat.

"Why not?!"

"Because you should be with me!"

He looked as surprised to admit it as she did to have it shouted at her. Immediately he flushed a deep scarlet and bowed his head.

"What?"

Her voice was small and shocked and made him blush harder. He hadn't expected to say it, and now she seemed so... Disappointed? Angry? Betrayed? He wasn't supposed to fall for her, right? He was supposed to love Ladybug, and he did. Because she was Ladybug and he loved her so much. But she didn't know he knew. He couldn't bear to say it again. It didn't feel like it should. It didn't feel good.

"So that's why you were so obsessed with me and Adrien. You wanted to know if I still loved him," she sighed.

"No, well, yes, but that's not all of it... I'm... I... the thing is..." Adrien considered transforming for her then and there, but he changed his mind. She was just beginning to be real friends with Adrien again. He couldn't lose that. "Yeah. I want to know if you still love him. Nathanael is insignificant."

Marinette reeled back and Tikki caught her breath. Nathanael wasn't insignificant. No one was insignificant. Chat Noir lost his chance to redeem himself then and there. No hero should think anyone was insignificant. Not even Chloe.

Marinette sighed and shook his head. "You should go. I've got a dinner to get ready for."

Chat's chest ached. He didn't want to leave, even though he would see her in a few minutes. "I can take you there."

"Dinner with Adrien. I don't want to subject him to your... interrogation too," she said.

He bowed his head again. "All I wanted was to make sure he didn't hurt you."

"Nathanael couldn't hurt me because I don't love him!" She huffed.

Chat raised his head, his eyes wide, and his jaw open. Her gaze was enough to make him want to cry again. Betrayed. Almost... heartbroken.

"I don't. I don't know why you think I do either. I've never loved Nath," she muttered.

Chat didn't want to know the answer and she had no reason to tell him, but he couldn't leave without asking.

"Who do you love?"

 _you! You, you idiot, I love you!_

"Someone who deserves it."

Her voice was sharp and cold and hurt both of them to hear. She had meant it to be gentle, but she was too annoyed with him. his eyes widened with surprise and hurt, and he sunk down into himself, guiltily. He bowed his head low, his tail between his legs. It pained her to see him do it, but there was no going back now.

In a pained whisper, he said, "I'm sorry my lady."

She turned her back on him, and stared stubbornly down at the ground. Chat Noir left so quietly that no one would have heard. But she knew his paw prints by sound because they were on her heart. It was all she could do not to glance back at him. He glanced back at her anyway, his heart sinking to see she wouldn't turn.  
Tikki was too kind to say I told you so, and landed on her shoulder now he was gone, and it was safe.

"Did he glance back?" She asked.

"Of course," Tikki whispered.

Marinette bowed her head and whined softly. Chat's apology hadn't sunk in yet. It wouldn't for a long time. Too many other things were in the way. Tikki didn't say I told you so because Marinette already knew it. She nuzzled against the crook of Marinette's chin and neck, warm and soft, just as she had been last time. Like a glowing angel always on her shoulder.

"What are we going to do?" Tikki whispered.

Marinette sniffed and wiped her nose on her arm to try and stop herself crying. She straightened her back and took a deep breath.

"There's only one think I want to do. Let's go to dinner."


	9. Chapter 9

Alya glanced Marinette up and down, frowning as she approached Adrien's front door. Not only was she lost in her own world again, she hadn't changed from what she wore at school, other than now she had a flour handprint on her shoulder from where her father had pulled her forward to kiss her cheek. Marinette only snapped back into the real word when she walked into Alya.

"You keep your head in the clouds and you'll see Ladybug before I will!" She smiled.

Marinette forced a smile. "Wouldn't that be amazing?"

Alya wrinkled her nose at Marinette's outfit. "That's what you're wearing?"

Marinette would have pointed out that Alya had only put on a new shirt, which was very similar to her usual shirt, but she didn't notice. Her mind was elsewhere.

"I didn't have time to change I was... busy." Usually she'd tell Alya immediately if something happened with a boy, but not now. Now Marinette wanted to put it from her mind and focus on her friends. For a moment she thought Alya would pry, but then she shrugged.

"Mmm. Oh well, you look great no matter what you wear."

Marinette smiled. "I take after you."

Alya chuckled affectionately and threw an arm around her shoulders to walk her inside the house, where the boys were waiting. Nino was leaning across the table, adjusting Adrien's green bow tie, so focused that his tongue curled out of the corner of his mouth. Marinette was distracted by the almost overwhelming smell of cheese emanating from the corner of the room. This huge room was flawlessly cleaned until it glistened. The walls were white and so high you had to crane your neck to see the ceiling. Each had giant windows, separated by black and white stripes. Matching tiles stretched across the floor, before transforming into wooden floorboards under the long table. The sleek black and white room felt modern and fresh. Cheesy smells didn't match that.

Alya tilted her head at the boys. "What are you doing?"

Adrien gasped and pushed Nino back. He jumped backwards and threw his arms behind his back like he hadn't been doing anything.

"Hi! How are you? Long time no see!" He forced a cheesy grin.

Alya raised an eyebrow at Nino, but turned it to Adrien. "You make me feel under dressed. I can't image what you do to Mari."

Marinette snapped back into the room. "What?"

"Adrien's outfit. What'd you think?" Alya asked.

Adrien caught his breath as she finally looked at him. Shame and guilt rushed to make his cheeks red again. He had put on a deep green shirt, his cleanest jeans, and a black waistcoat. It was an outfit he had to wear on a shoot recently. Even then the green and black bowtie had caused no end of hassle.

"I'd appreciate your thoughts," he muttered.

Marinette flushed pink. She was standing in Gabriel Agreste's mansion, and he wanted _her_ thoughts on his outfit. But then again, he was her friend, she had an opinion closer to his own, maybe she was reading too much into it. Alya pushed her forward with a grin. Marinette stumbled, and fell into him. He caught her on reflex. He'd done it a million times before, but this was the first time it felt special. Like he was the only one who could keep her upright. She straightened up, and he let his hand linger on her arm as she dusted herself down. Some of the flour fell off too.

"Are you ok?" He asked, anxiously.

"I'm a walking disaster zone, but nothings new there," she sighed.

Her fringe fell over her eyes, so she pushed it aside in annoyance, and looked him up and down. She wrinkled her nose and put a hand on her chin thoughtfully. He had seen his father examine outfits, and his face scarcely changed. Marinette, however, was planning what to do in her head, and her passion slipped out in her reactions. Adrien smiled softly. She was adorable.

Suddenly she gasped. "Got it!"

Marinette beamed and leapt forward. Her fingers expertly untied the bowtie Nino had put all his hard work into, and threw it aside. Her head was so close to his chin he had to lift his head anxiously to avoid hitting her with it. Her cold fingers brushed against his neck, leaving goosebumps behind. She didn't stop when the bowtie was gone either. She fluffed up his collar to make it look messy. Marinette raised her hands to his perfectly neat hair, and hesitated. She pulled back slowly, her own hair falling across her eyes again.

"May I?" She asked.

Adrien gulped, and nodded, nervously. Carefully, Marinette leaned up onto her tip toes, which caused her to brush repeatedly against his chest. Her fingers ran through his hair, brushing gently against his scalp. He bit his lip hard to fight the urge to purr. Her gaze was fixed on his hair, but his was entirely on her. The focus in her eyes made them shine, and made her tongue peep out of the corner of her mouth. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her hair fell over her eyes. She huffed to puff it out of her face. He felt his stomach drop. Very few people had seen this view of her before. It was something he was enthralled by.  
All too soon she took a step back. Marinette reached for his hand, and just as their fingers brushed, an electric shock passed between them. He gasped, and yelped.

"You ok?" Alya asked.

"Electric shock," Marinette said. She smirked up at Adrien. "I guess sparks really are flying between us."

His ears went pink and he laughed a little too hard. "Y-yeah, lucky us."

He winced at his own words. It was so difficult to keep his head clear enough to remember how to talk around her now. However, she chuckled gently, and reached for his hand again. There was no shock this time. His soft hand was lifted into her tougher, well worked hands. Knitting, stitching and baking will do that to you. Gently, she rolled up his sleeves, so they sat above his elbows. Then she took a step back to admire her work.  
His hair was messy, as was his collar, his sleeves were pushed up, and his waistcoat was neat but ruffed. He looked like he'd been busy working, doing something rouge and tough, and come in now and ruffled his hair. His flushed cheeks made the look more realistic. It made him unbelievably handsome.

"How do I look?" He asked.

"Handsome as always," she smiled. Suddenly she blushed again, "like all models are handsome."

Her hair fell over her face so she groaned in frustration and yanked out her ponytails. She shook her hair free and it fell like a curtain across her face. His jaw dropped slightly. He'd never imagined her with her hair down before, but she looked so good his heart missed a beat. She groaned again as she ran her hand through her hair and messed it up. His insides melted.

"My hair is super messy, I don't suppose you have a hair brush?" She asked.

"S-s-sure I have, many models have hair. I mean models have to have many brushes to have your perfect hair. Not yours, yours isn't perfect, I mean that you're not perfect - not that you're not - I mean-" Adrien blushed deeper.

"JUST GET A BRUSH!" Plagg hissed.

"I'll go find a brush," Adrien declared immediately.

Tikki peeped out of Marinette's bag and glanced around the room. It was difficult to spot a little black cat in a black and white room like this, but she was stubborn. She wouldn't stop until- _there_ _he is_! Carefully, she slipped out of Marinette's bag, and under the table so they wouldn't see her as she darted off towards Plagg. He was hiding in the plant pot of a tall and skinny tree in the corner of the room, well hidden in the darkness. Tikki climbed in beside him, and beamed.

"Buggy?!" He gasped.

"Hello kitty," she smiled.

She threw herself at him, caught him off guard, and accidentally tackled him to the ground. Now both of them were laying in the soil of the plant pot together, giggling.  
Marinette wandered back over to the mirror hanging on the wall in the hallway, leaving Nino and Alya to stare at each other. Nino was shocked, Alya looked concerned.

"What was that?" Nino asked, urgently.

"That is something I am conflicted about," Alya sighed.

"How so?" Nino asked.

"I have a plan that I thought of when Adrien and Marinette weren't close, to get them together. Tonight is the perfect opportunity to put it into action," Alya explained, reluctantly.

It sounded like she felt odd. Like she was going to have to do something that she didn't actually want to, or wasn't sure about.

"I thought she didn't love him anymore," Nino said.

"I don't know. I don't think she does. It's hard to tell with her sometimes," Alya shrugged.

Nino glanced at the doorway Adrien had dashed through to go and find a brush. "He clearly loves her now."

"Yeah he told me."

"He told you?!"

"He asked for my help because this would make him happy."

"He didn't tell _me_ anything!" Nino huffed

"I want him to be happy, but he hurt her," she sighed again, "I don't want to put her through that again."

Nino glanced at Marinette through the open door on the other side of the room. She was fiddling with her hair, like she was trying to form a bun without a doughnut. Then a stray strand fell into her eyes and she deflated. Her hair fell to cloak her face again.

"What if he will make her happy?" Nino asked softly.

Alya glanced at Marinette over her shoulder," I think she likes someone else."

Plagg leaned against Tikki, "Does she?"

Tikki leaned over and whispered back, "Chat Noir."

Plagg snorted. "So no then."

Tikki raised a hand to her lips. "Shh!"

Adrien hesitated as he re-entered the room holding the brush to his chest like it was precious, and glanced around for Marinette. Nino and Alya pointed, wordlessly. He smiled and hurried off to find her. She beamed when she saw his reflection wander in. He smiled back, his ears turning pink.

"Can I help?" He asked.

"Is there any chance you've got a doughnut thingy for hair buns anywhere?" She asked, hopefully.

"I don't think, maybe. There's bits and pieces from models and hairdressers and make up girls all over the place," he said.

"Don't worry about it, I'll make it simple instead," she said.

Alya and Nino watched Adrien staring at Marinette as she brushed her hair out, and tied it up into a ponytail hanging over her left shoulder. She turned to him, and raised her hand like she wanted his opinion. He gave it. She smiled. Watching like Nino or Alya were them you'd be mistaken

"We have to find a way to find out, and then a way to get the two of them to talk it through without one leaving the room," Alya decided.

"How can I help?" Nino asked.

"Wait until after dinner. Food comes first," Alya declared.

Adrien had set up the table so he sat at one end, Nino sat opposite him way at the opposite end of the room, and the girls were halfway between them on opposite sides of the table.

"Um, Adrien? Can we move these?" Marinette asked.

Adrien frowned. "Move them? But this is how me and my family used to eat all the time."

"Oh. Well. wouldn't it be nicer if we were all up at one end? If Alya sits here, and Nino here, and you sit there, and I sit here?"

Marinette and Alya moved the plates to they were sat next to each other and opposite each other, like a properly sized family table.

"That way we're all together," Nino said.

"Close enough to talk without yelling," Alya smirked.

"Oh! Yeah, that sounds great!" Adrien grinned.

They gathered at the end and the chef brought out each of their meals under a silver dish. It felt slightly extravagant, but unbelievably thrilling to lift the dish. Nino felt like a magician. It was simple but oh so gratifying. As thrilling as that was, the dinner was better. Mouth-wateringly glorious. Nino inhaled it with gratitude for every bite, and Marinette was thinking again. Alya kept glancing at Marinette, hoping she would talk to her, but she didn't. It came back to Alya and Adrien to talk. The two of them chatted between themselves, trying to get the others to join in, but they really didn't. Marinette had a lot on her mind and Nino, well Nino had a lot on his plate.  
Specifically Marinette's food.

He reached out to tap her plate with his fork to get her attention, "hey, you gonna eat that."

Marinette looked down at the slow roasted honey glazed parsnips on her plate, that she was pushing around her plate with her fork.

"Nah, you can have it, I'm not hungry."

Nino giggled greedily, and pulled her plate over onto his. Adrien tilted his head at her, concerned.

"Are you alright Mari?" He asked, nervously.

She looked up at him in surprise. Marinette didn't want to talk about it, and Adrien really hoped he couldn't have to hear her tell him what he'd done wrong. She shook her head and her hair bounced, forcing a smile.

"I'm just not hungry."

Alya threw a pointed look at Nino, but he was too busy stuffing his face to notice. Alya rolled her eyes. Boys were useless sometimes. Dramatically she pushed her plate back and stood up, so all eyes were on her. "Let's play truth or dare!"

Tikki gasped but Plagg and Marinette snorted. Plagg beamed at Tikki when Marinette snorted at the same time as him. Tikki rolled her eyes bit chuckled to herself.

"Because that went so well last time!" Marinette said, sarcastically.

"Oh truth or dare was fine, it was pillow fighting that left your leg like that," Alya argued.

"Truth or dare?" Adrien asked, confused.

He had never played before, and wasn't entirely sure what they were expecting from him. Alya smiled reassuringly at him.

"It does what it says on the tin."

Adrien frowned. "It sounds dangerous."

Alya's eyes gleamed. "It is!"

"Fun though!" Nino wiped his mouth on the napkin and stood up, "I'm in!"

Alya grinned at him, and glared at Marinette. "Mari?"

Marinette scowled grumpily. She didn't much feel like being honest at the moment. Especially not after last time. Adrien glanced over at her. Honesty could destroy whatever blissful relationship the pair of them could keep through her ignorance. Tikki's antenna hung down by her chin, and she tapped her mouth nervously.

"This won't end well," she said.

"He said Nathanael was insignificant, it can't get much worse than it already is!" Plagg snorted.

Alya ran forward and grabbed Marinette's arm. She tugged her playfully, pulling her from her seat.

"Come on, let's play!" She grinned

Marinette groaned as Alya gathered up Nino and Adrien and dragged them into the family room so they could sit in a circle on the rug in front of the fireplace. Alya knelt down and examined the fire.

"Does this thing work?" She asked, curiously.

"It's electric," Adrien explained.

He picked up a remote control that was sitting on mantlepiece, and pointed it at the fire. As Alya took a step back the logs burst into bright orange licks of flame. Nino made an impressed noise and Adrien laughed. Alya grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the carpet. Adrien cried out in pain. Alya leapt back in surprise and Marinette raised an eyebrow. His voice was like her kitty's, and his hair like this was similar, and now his hand was hurt too? It could all be a coincidence but still. Marinette glanced around for Tikki. At first, she couldn't see her, and very nearly panicked, but then there she was. Wriggling through the shut door because she couldn't get it open. Marinette's panic eased.

Until, that is, Alya said, "truth or dare Marinette?"

Marinette looked up. "What?"

"truth or dare?" Alya repeated.

Marinette wrinkled her nose. "I don't wanna-"

"Truth. Or. Dare."

Marinette groaned. There was no use in arguing with her, and she did not want to tell the truth, so she only had one option really. "Dare."

"I dare you to lift Adrien," Nino declared.

Marinette scoffed, "that's too easy!"

"Easy?!" Adrien repeated.

"Yeah, you're a lightweight and I'm strong!" Marinette shrugged.

Alya gave an evil smirk. "Prove it."

Marinette gave her a stubborn look and stood up. She turned her head to give the same stubborn glare to Adrien.

"Get up!" She said.

He blinked in surprise. She repeated herself firmly. He stood up obediently, and reeled back in alarm when her hand landed on his waist.

"What?" She asked.

He blushed, "Mind my hand, it's sore."

"I'll be careful," she promised.

Adrien moved hesitantly as she eased herself closer to him. It was different without their masks on. Hell, Ladybug would throw Chat Noir like a javelin without a second thought, but Marinette and Adrien? It was slower and more intimate than it needed to be.  
Her hand went against his waist, and the side of his chest. His hands went in the air and his cheeks turned pink.

"W-w-what do you want me to do?" He stammered.

"Just put your hands-" she moved her hands to his wrists to move his hands around her shoulders. "Here."

Nino's phone flew into his hand, just a millisecond behind Alya. They both had excellent position to film them. She raised her head to meet his gaze and check he was ok. His eyes shone with fear.

"Hey, do you trust me?" She asked, gently.

Adrien gulped. Of course he did. But she didn't trust him right now, and that made him feel uneasy. No, she didn't know who he was, but if she did, she'd just drop him. But he _did_ trust her, so he nodded.

"Alright. Ready?" She asked, gently. He nodded again. "Ok. Go."

Adrien jumped and Marinette scooped him up. He landed with his legs wrapped around her middle, so he was practically sitting on her waist, and his arms around her shoulders still. Her arms were linked around his waist and trailed down to brush against his rear. He blushed deeper for a moment. She looked up at him, and beamed with delight. Her face was inches away from his now. It took him a moment to adjust to this new height but when he did, he grinned back. The pride in her face as she held him up like he weighed nothing, made his heart beat harder. She was so damn cute he didn't think he could love her more until he did. Alya and Nino were cheering on the side lines from behind their phones.

"Told you," Marinette smirked at Alya, "easy!"

"Alright. Nino, you're next," Alya declared.

Marinette helped Adrien back down, and they were standing so close that she could practically feel his breath on her head. As he climbed down he messed up her hair again. She huffed, and it flapped.

"I like your hair messy," he muttered.

She turned pink again and muttered, "I like yours messy."

Tikki grabbed Plagg's arm, leaning forward eagerly. Plagg was staring, desperately willing one of them to realise what was going on between them. But then there was Alya. You can never really plan for Alya.

"Oi, Romeo and Juliet, Nino picked truth, what do we wanna ask?" Alya called.

Being called Romeo and Juliet made them jump back away from one another sheepishly. Plagg yelped like he had been hurt and Tikki groaned. Plagg glanced down at the grip on his arm he was suddenly aware of.

"Um, teak?"

Tikki glanced over. She followed his gaze, blushed, and let go. She muttered apologetically. Plagg's ears flattened outwards sheepishly and he dipped his head as he said he didn't mind.  
They moved through the first round with everyone else picking truth, apart from Alya, who had to go outside and ask the first person she saw where the nearest petrol station was, because her spaceship had broken down.

"Truth," Marinette said firmly.

There wasn't even a pause before Alya asked, "Do you have a crush on Chat Noir?"

Tikki gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Plagg leaned forward, practically on the edge of his seat, and held his breath. Adrien's eyes widened, and his stomach twisted.

"No fair, you already know the answer to that!" Marinette whined.

"I don't!" Adrien squeaked.

"I don't either," Nino insisted.

"You don't wanna know," Marinette huffed.

"I do!" Adrien insisted.

He did. Desperately. Sort of. He wanted her to love him, and he was Chat Noir, but she was clearly angry with him. If she loved Chat, then Adrien couldn't make it up to her. It was a rock and a hard place, and he had put himself there.

"You picked truth, you have to answer," Alya said, firmly.

"Fine! Fine..." Marinette sighed and bowed her head.

Tikki bit her hand nervously. Plagg wasn't breathing at all now and he was slightly light headed. Adrien's stomach twisted like it was a damp towel someone was ringing out. Marinette doubled in on herself, and stared at the ground, self-consciously.

"It's complicated... Really complicated. There are things we need to talk about, and I'm mad at him right now so we have you deal with that... but ultimately yes. Yes, I think I do."

Nino and Alya shared a look. Adrien looked like a deer in headlights. Shocked and mildly terrified. That was understandable. Even if she was arguing with him, you couldn't outshine Chat Noir. Marinette seemed shaken up too, so they moved on swiftly.

"Truth or dare Adrien?" Nino asked.

Having witnessed Nino blush deeper than anyone ever thought he could, and being asked about Chloe last time, Adrien wasn't sure what to pick. If he picked truth they would ask him about Marinette, but if he picked dare, they might make him kiss her and that would be unbearable. If telling her he loved her was bad, kissing her would be lethal. Especially after this new revelation. If he had lost her love as Adrien, and she didn't even like chat noir at the moment, he couldn't see how this was going to be fixed.

"Truth or dare?" Nino repeated.

"Dare," Adrien muttered.

"I dare you- wait it has to be in the next room, come on!" Alya pushed herself to her feet, and pulled Nino up beside her.

Reluctantly Marinette and Adrien stood up too. Alya opened the door to the next room and Adrien wandered in. Alya yanked Nino to the side before he could go in too.

"Go around to the other door and lock it," she said, quietly.

"Why?"

"Trust me."

Nino blinked, but agreed. Marinette was on the other side of the room, collecting up Tikki. For a moment she thought she saw someone else there with her. Another kwami. Plagg. But she blinked and the shape she had seen had vanished, so she shook her head and put it down to Chat Noir being on her mind.

"come on Mari, you don't wanna miss this," Alya called.

Marinette tucked Tikki into her pocket, and wandered over to Alya. Alya ushered her into the room after Adrien. Alya slammed the door shut behind them. Adrien and Marinette blinked. She jiggled the handle.

"Alya? Alya come on that's not funny!" She complained.

"There's another door over here," Adrien said.

They turned around to look at the other door, just in time to see Nino slam it shut.

"Guys this isn't fun!" Marinette whined.

"I dare you two to talk everything out!" Alya called.

"This isn't how this is meant to go!" Adrien complained.

He was terrified now. And then, they did the worst thing they could possibly do. _CLICK_! Each door was bolted shut. Marinette and Adrien stared at each other.

They were locked in.


	10. Chapter 10

"Alya this really isn't funny!" Marinette complained.

Nino looked over at Alya, uncertainly. "Are you sure about this?"

"They have to talk. Everything comes down to talking. That'll fix this," Alya said firmly.

"Sure, but-"

"Nino, trust me."

"I think you're crazy!"

"Trust me anyway?"

Marinette banged against the door desperately, and called, "Nino help!"

"Nino come on, please?!" Adrien called.

"Be strong Nino," Alya said.

Nino groaned softly. "I suppose if the cage worked for us..."

"That's the spirit," Alya smirked. "Let's go find some food in the kitchen."

Nino glanced over at her. Marinette still banged against the door, trying to get their attention. He stepped back and turned to face Alya. "Sure... lead the way."

Marinette heard their footsteps walk away, and her arm slipped down with a sigh. She turned to face Adrien.

"Um... I think we're trapped," he said.

"I think I can break the lock," she said.

Tikki frowned. Marinette couldn't break anything, and she wouldn't need to. She knew Tikki could unlock it. Tikki didn't want to. She was tired of this constant battle over who to love, and honestly, talking it out seemed like the easiest way to get through it. If they couldn't escape, maybe they would have to.

"Don't break it! Father doesn't know you're here, and he'll ask too many questions," Adrien argued.

"I won't break it, I can pick it," Marinette lied.

"But what about the dare?" Adrien asked.

"They'll give you another one," she shrugged.

"But this one sounds easier," he muttered.

She glared at him. "Do you really want to talk through all this?"

"It might make things between us easier," he shrugged.

Marinette sighed and turned her back on him again, to try wriggling the door handle again. "All this is more than you think it is," she said.

"I know," he said.

She groaned in frustration as she stepped back. "You have no idea!"

Adrien said, flatly, "I know you're Ladybug."

His heart beat four times faster and his mouth went as dry as a desert. The one thing he could think of was "honesty." Being dishonest had ended them both in a heap of trouble. It was time to move on from that. It was time for honesty. Marinette's heart stopped. Her eyes widened in alarm, and her stomach dropped to her ankles. She felt goosebumps prickle her arms as ice ran through her veins. Slowly, she turned to stare at him.

"You're wrong," she muttered.

He shook his head. "I'm not."

"You... I... how?!" She stammered.

"I... I figured it out. Chat Noir helped," he explained.

"Chat Noir doesn't know who I am," Marinette argued, firmly.

"Right. Except..." he sighed and bowed his head low. He had to be honest. Lying hurt too much. "I'm really sorry Bugaboo."

Marinette waded through a million emotions in a second, from shocked to amazed to furious, but she settled on irritated. Amazingly the only thing that didn't go through her mind was disappointment. Shame for herself for not realising he was always beside her, even out of uniform, sure, but she wasn't disappointed. How could she be? She loved him.

she closed her eyes and sighed. "I knew I saw Plagg."

"Don't blame Plagg, he didn't get to pick Adrien any more than I got to pick you," Tikki said, softly.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Marinette demanded defensively.

"It means don't blame Plagg!" Tikki said.

Adrien leaned forward to see the black and red kwami hidden away in her pocket. Tikki turned to face him too.

"You're Tikki," he said.

"You're Chat Noir," she said.

"This is too much -" Marinette banged the wall and screamed, "ALYA!"

Plagg's head appeared through the door while the rest of him dangled on the other side. "They're gone. They got hungry."

"Plagg?!" Marinette squeaked.

Plagg nodded at her. "Marinette."

He wriggled the rest of the way through the door and his tail flourished as it slipped through last. Marinette groaned heavily.

"I can't handle this, I want out!" She shouted.

"Marinette, calm down!" Tikki said.

Plagg pulled Tikki back gently. "Shh Tikki! Things are finally getting entertaining."

"That's enough Plagg!" Adrien hissed.

Marinette whizzed around and interrupted, pointing at them, threatingly. "That's enough both of you! We might be your charges, but we aren't your puppets and we /aren't your entertainment!"

Plagg seemed unfazed by her reaction, or her threat. He smiled, and explained gently, "Marinette you are an intelligent and beautiful girl with a huge heart who can save Paris single handily, but won't because you respect your partnership too much. That's always entertaining."

Plagg tapped his hand against her head playfully, and she smiled despite herself, Tikki rolled her eyes, and Plagg smirked with satisfaction.

Adrien frowned. "How comes you're never that nice to me?"

"Meh, you're boring. All you talk about is Ladybug and how much you love her," Plagg shrugged.

Marinette blushed and stared down in annoyance. Part of her lit up in delight that he loved her, but she was so angry with him still, so the rest of her burned with annoyance. Adrien winced as Plagg sold him out. The trouble with a living breathing creature constantly with you, is they know everything about you and can destroy you with it. Tikki flew from her pocket and hovered beside Marinette, to prove she too could throw her charge under a bus.

"Marinette be rational about this! You said you loved Adrien, you said you had a crush on Chat Noir, and they're the same person! Why can't you talk this out?"

Adrien felt so incredibly guilty again. She seemed upset and annoyed that he loved her, and he couldn't bear to see that. Marinette argued with the kwamis like he wasn't there.

"Because you heard what he said! How am I supposed to forgive that?!" She hissed to Tikki.

"What? What did I say? What was so wrong?" Adrien asked urgently.

She glared at him. "Nathanael."

"I told you why I did that!" He whined.

"You said he was insignificant," she spat.

"He was!" He insisted.

Marinette stormed closer to him, and hissed, furiously, "NO ONE IS INSIGNIFICANT! That's the point of us /Chat Noir! Heroes save everyone they can, no matter how evil or corrupt they are!"

Adrien reeled backwards. This was worse than when his father was angry with him. His father would just sigh like he was a disappointment, and move on with a threat that he would forget in a week. This confrontation was worse. He had no idea how to handle this.

"/I saved Chloe, /we saved Leila, and we /could save Hawkmoth, but how can I trust that you'll help if you think they're insignificant?"

Her voice was tight and hurt and angry. It was, she was, desperate for him to tell her that they weren't insignificant, and she could trust him, because he was her partner, and he would never let her down. But Adrien didn't know that was all he had to say.

"I didn't mean it like that," he insisted.

"How did you mean it?" She demanded.

"I..."

Adrien gulped. He had no idea what he had meant. He barely remembered saying it. Now she was yelling at him, and they were fighting, and she didn't trust him, and his heart was breaking, and he wanted to cry and - and - and-

"ALYA LET ME OUT!" Marinette screamed.

Alya was perched on the top of the island in the centre of the kitchen, the tip of her index finger in her mouth having just started licking the bowl. She tilted her head at the scream, but they were on the other side of the house and the upstairs rooms were sound defended, so she barely heard it. Nino ran his finger down the remains of the chocolate brownie mix on the rim of the bowl, and looked up at her. The chef was cleaning up everything else now the pudding was cooking.

"You okay?" Nino asked.

"I thought I heard something... never mind," Alya shrugged.

Tikki grabbed Plagg and pulled him up towards the ceiling, away from the others. Marinette was pulling the door hard to try and break free. Adrien fell to his knees and pulled them up to his chest as he sat in front of the fire again. Tikki whined softly.

"It's all gone wrong Plagg," she said.

"It was always going to be hard Tikki. At least neither of them can walk away," Plagg said.

Marinette cried in frustration and kicked the door. Then she yelled in pain and grabbed her foot, leaning her back against the door. Miserable she sunk down until she was sulking on the floor. The two humans sat on the floor, sulking silently.

"That girl could be a good Chat Noir. Very feisty," Plagg chuckled.

"She's a lot like you sometimes," Tikki agreed.

"Funny, Adrien's a lot like you," Plagg chuckled.

"Maybe that's why we were paired with them. We tend to bring out the best in each other."

"Because we understand each other." Plagg's eyes widened as an idea struck him, which was surprising, because usually it was Tikki who had the ideas between them. "Oh wait!"

"What?" Tikki asked urgently.

"I understand you so well that I know how to get me out of trouble with you! I can tell me how to get out of trouble with you! It'll be weird through because I don't think I've ever been mad at you. Not that mad anyway..."

"Plagg I love you, but I have no idea what you're saying," Tikki said.

Plagg grabbed her by her shoulders and grinned, "I can explain to Marinette how to forgive Adrien, because it's just me forgiving you. They're us! Who understands dealing with us better than us?!"

"You're saying we should swap?"

"No one is going to let them out of here until they forgive each other. What if there's an akuma, and they're stuck in here? Or if they get out and fight each other instead of the akuma?"

Tikki frowned. She was cute even when she frowned. This didn't sound likely to work, but she didn't like the idea of risking Paris at all.

"Alright. I'm not sure this will work, but I have faith in you. Let's try it," she said firmly.

Plagg beamed at her. "I love you Teak."

Tikki smiled and leaned up to kiss his head, between his ears. His knees went weak and he hummed affectionately. Tikki dove down towards Adrien, and landed on his knee. Plagg mirrored, landing in Marinette's hair instead.

"Is it twisted again? I can heal it if you like," Plagg offered.

Marinette glanced up. Tikki's words echoed in her head. She couldn't blame Plagg. It wasn't his fault Adrien was an idiot.

"It's ok. It doesn't hurt any more than the rest of me," she muttered.

"Mmm, that sounds dramatic," Plagg laid down to make himself comfortable. "You live in a bakery, you should try eating the pain away."

Marinette frowned. "That doesn't sound healthy."

"I didn't say it was. One kitten I had, Augustus, ate so much he threw up on the shoes of their version of hawkmoth," Plagg chuckled.

Marinette looked up towards her hair in surprise, "Really?"

Plagg nodded, grinning, "Swede shoes too. Most evil man of the century and he was defeated by someone throwing up on his shoes."

"You're lying," she said suspiciously.

Plagg gasped dramatically. "Would I ever do that?!"

Marinette couldn't help smiling. This little kwami was entirely different to hers, but he was awesome. She liked him a lot.

Adrien glanced up at the kwami sitting on his knee as he leaned against the bookcase beside the fire.

"She hates me, doesn't she?" He muttered.

"No! Why would she hate you? She's just angry," Tikki promised.

"I'm an awful hero. I should give it up," Adrien sighed.

"No you aren't. Remember your first akuma?" Tikki asked.

"Stoneheart, I remember," he nodded.

"Remember how Ladybug was too scared to move, and Roger Cop said she wouldn't be helpful, and you said-"

"He's wrong, because without you, Chloe'd no longer be here. And because without us, they won't make it, and we'll prove that too. Trust me, young miss."

Tikki smirked. She leaned forward and put a hand on his forehead. "Well trust me young mister. You've proved yourself enough to everyone else, and especially to her. She's terrifying when she's mad, but she loves you."

Adrien glanced over at her, and shook his head. "She used to love me. What if she's disappointed I'm just me?"

Tikki folded her arms impatiently and said, firmly, "No one is insignificant. she can trust you, because you're her partner, and you would never let her down. You just need to make sure she knows it."

Adrien looked over at Marinette again. Now she was looking slightly cross-eyed as she tried to look up at Plagg who still perched on her head. At least she was smiling now. Whatever Plagg was saying to her made her laugh. All he could think to do was try to make her smile himself. Before all this, he could do it so easily he didn't notice. He should have cherished that time.

"Do you remember when Alix spilt acid on Nino's shoe?" He asked.

She raised her head, but she didn't smile. "And Nino refused to put his shoes on for the rest of the day, so the whole class pretended to choke?"

Adrien nodded, slightly dejected by the lack of a smile and muttered, "Hilarious."

"He got us back good now hasn't he?" she sighed, and leaned her head back against the door.

The movement made Plagg slip backwards and dig his claws in to stop himself. Marinette hissed sharply, but dipped her head so he could sit properly again.

"actually, I think this is Alya's revenge for locking her and Nino in a cage," Adrien said.

"that makes sense. Difference being those two were in love, not angry at each other," Marinette said.

Adrien bowed his head. He wasn't angry at her at all. he was hurt, and guilty, but not angry. Under his breath, he muttered, "You said you love me."

Marinette heard through the silence, and cut back, "You said I was your nerdy little sister."

A shot to the chest. Adrien winced in pain at the memory. "Right…"

"Ooh you got him good on that one! Adrien is used to his father being cruel so If you want to make an impact, you've got to be kinder," Plagg encouraged.

Marinette frowned and raised her chin to look at her head. "That's terrible Plagg!"

Plagg tightened his grip on her hair to avoid slipping. "Why'd you think he's so perfect all the time? Well most of the time. ask what happened to his hand."

"That was harsh, but remember she didn't deny loving you. That's a plus," Tikki smiled.

"she won't forgive me," Adrien sighed.

Tikki fluttered forward and nuzzled her head against his cheek, "she will! It might take a while, but she will."

"I shouldn't let jealously get the better of me like this. it never ends well!" he sighed.

"What happened to your hand?"

Adrien raised his eyes to look at her. it was the first time since he'd told her the truth that she looked him in the eye. That took him by surprise enough.

"Huh?"

"You said you hurt your hand. How?" she asked.

"Um..." this was going to be embarrassing to admit, but she told him her injuries were from a pillow fight to get over him, which must have been embarrassing, so he had to be honest too. "you started getting tongue tied in front of Nathanael and I was jealous so I... I broke a seat apart and got a splinter in my palm."

"Oh. When did I get tongue tied around Nath?" she frowned.

"When Alya was teasing you," he said.

"Which time?"

"When she said you were a medical marvel."

"I wasn't tongue tied because of Nathanael. I was thinking of Chat Noir!" she argued.

His eyes widened hopefully. "really?"

Marinette turned away from him again. "I didn't know who you were."

She tried to sound defensive about it, but there was something about her tone that made him dare to be hopeful.

"It was you," he said.

She gave him a puzzled look. "What was?"

"The girl I thought was my type. Ladybug. You. Right from the start,"

he said.

"Oh."

"It's working! Keep it up!" Tikki whispered.

"I'm really sorry I let you down. I regret it more than anything else. It'll never happen again,"

Adrien promised.

"Here it is, confession time, tell him what you're feeling honestly, right now!" Plagg encouraged.

Marinette met Adrien's gaze, and Plagg's words were firmly in her mind. He was right. Honesty was the best policy.

"Adrien, I don't care what you do to me. I've had a crush on you since we met, and even when I tried to move on I fell for /you again. It's pretty obvious I'm never going to get away from you, so it won't matter if you hurt me again."

Adrien winced. "What can I do to show you I'm sorry?'

"Be sorry. Tell Nathanael you're sorry. All he has is that art. Say you're sorry for threatening it,"

she said, firmly.

"I will. As soon as we're let out, I'll say sorry to Nathanael. I'll even buy him a new sketch pad," he promised.

Marinette rolled her eyes. Buying things to say sorry with was more like bribing people to forgive you. It didn't work like that.

Tikki would have reminded her that he didn't know that, and she had to explain it gently, but Plagg could be won over by the right things, and he didn't notice her annoyance at the idea.

"Talk about your friendship. That's what Alya and Nino want you to do," Tikki urged.

"Quit moving your head!" Plagg huffed.

Marinette huffed back as he clawed against her again, "That's it!"

"What's wrong?" Adrien asked.

"Plagg's claws!"

"What about them?"

"They hurt!"

She pulled her hair out of her pony tail with one hand and picked up Plagg with the other. She sat him on her knee, and pulled her hair up into a weak bun. She placed Plagg back on top of her head, and he pawed the bun gently. Since it only moved slightly, he leaned against it like a chair. Now he didn't slide about, there was no need for claws.

"better Plagg?"

"purrfect Mari."

Plagg rubbed his head against hers, and Adrien felt a twinge of jealousy. Plagg was never that nice to him. Cats weren't supposed to be that affectionate with strangers! But Plagg wanted her to like him, and to like Adrien by extension, and cats have a way of getting what they want.

"Tell her!" Tikki pushed his arm playfully.

Adrien kept his head low and felt his heart beat hard and fast as he took a deep breath. "Marinette, I know you deserve someone better-"

Marinette frowned and interrupted with a scoff, "Someone better?! Who? Who is better than famous and handsome model Adrien Agreste whom also moonlights at the dashing hero of Paris? There is no one better."

You might think that was something that would please Adrien, or at least make him feel hopeful that she might forgive him and allow them both to move on, but it didn't. it really didn't. Adrien did not want people to think of him like that. he especially didn't want her to think of him like that.

"That's not... that's not..." he stammered, shaking his head.

Marinette raised her head, intrigued and hopeful. Maybe they were about to reach a breakthrough. He was going to tell her something he couldn't tell anyone else, and give her leverage to use against him, and faith that she wouldn't use it. THAT was the trust she wanted to feel again.

"Not what?" she asked.

"It's not /true!" Adrien said, desperately, "I mean yes, I'm a famous model, and yes I'm a dashing hero, but that's not who I /am."

"Who are you then?"

"I... I don't know."

Marinette sat up. Plagg tilted her head and glanced over at Tikki. Tikki shared his surprised look. maybe they didn't need them to push them to a conclusion then. Maybe they were like the kwamis. They could sort themselves out.

"When I'm Adrien I have to be perfect in every way - piano, fencing, grades - and as Chat Noir I can be flirty and playful and make little mistakes, but ultimately I have to be perfect. I can't make mistakes that risk lives, and that's all this job is. Risking our lives, and the lives of civilians. The only time I get to be less than perfect, the only time I get to find out who /I am, is with Nino and Alya and..."

Adrien glanced at her, and then immediately down at the ground again. Plagg tapped the middle of Marinette's forehead. "And you."

Marinette smirked. "Thanks Plagg, I worked that out."

"Just making sure," Plagg nodded.

Marinette gave a smile. This was beginning to work, she was beginning to feel better. But there was one thing holding her back. one thing that they defiantly, absolutely, honestly had to talk about.

"We have to talk about you rejecting me."

Adrien groaned like another arrow of guilt had hit him square in his chest. "I don't want to."

"You think I do?!" she demanded.

"No but..." he sighed. "no go ahead."

"It hurt Adrien. It really hurt. Then I took it out on you, and you told me to move on, and I tried. You carried me across the road... out of pity?" she asked, quietly, hurt and desperate.

Adrien shook his head. "No."

"Guilt?"

"No!"

"Then what?"

"Because I was..." thinking back, he couldn't even remember properly. "I don't know. Maybe it was both. I felt guilty for pushing you away and I pitied myself for rejecting the girl of my dreams. All I know is I wanted to spend some more time with you, without you being mad at me."

"You should have tried to stop me being mad at you rather than lie," she said.

"I know. Hindsight is twenty-twenty,"

Adrien sighed.

"you and I have to trust each other," she said.

"I know," he said.

"we have to be able to work together."

"I know."

"And we have to be honest with each other. Especially now we know who we are. Hawkmoth will be after both of us and if he finds out we know who the other is, he'll use it against us."

"We have to trust each other with our lives,"

he agreed.

She tried to lean forward to reach for his hand, but there was too much space between them, so she was just outstretched. "I trust you with my life. my heart is something else."

He leaned forward to reach over towards her hand, but stopped before they could touch. Seriously, which hurt his heart more, he promised, "I'll do anything to prove to you that I'm worthy."

"Good. Because maybe you're right, and there's someone who's better than you, but I don't want them. I love you Adrien. You and Chat Noir. I love the perfect handsome model, and I love the messy flirty hero. Everything in between is what I fell for. I don't want someone better. I want you. But that's never brought anything but pain before. We need to get through this to get through that."

"I won't give up. I love you. I'll prove it."

Marinette wanted desperately to kiss him. To wrap her arms around his neck, pull him close, and make him forget about Nathanael and fighting. To wind her fingers through the hair on the back of his neck, and kiss away all the pain they shared. Sensing her desperation, he dared to edge his fingers closer to hers. She blushed pink again, and pulled away. Adrien closed his eyes and pulled back, disappointed but not surprised.

Nino yanked the door open and said, "either of you want a brownie?"

Marinette's hand flew to her head, and Adrien wrapped his jacket around Tikki. They stared at him in horror. He frowned.

"What?"


	11. Chapter 11

Chat Noir held out the sketch pad that he had tied a big red bow around, at arms length. His ears were low and flat, his head was bowed, his tail was between his legs. Nathanael twisted his head and looked at him in confusion. Coming in to find Chat hovering in his bedroom again terrified him, but he had given a deep, heartfelt apology instead of a threat. Now Nathanael was in the unique and strange situation of facing down a hero trying to right a wrong.

"Um... thanks... but um... you're not supposed to bring gifts to an apology," he explained.

Chat frowned. "Why not?"

"Well you can if it'll end the argument, but sometimes it just feels like a bribe," Nathanael explained.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. If you argue with someone about whether or not to get something, you can bring that thing to the argument to say sorry. This," Nathanael took the sketch pad and held it up, "this is a bribe to say "please forgive me", which isn't what you're supposed to do."

"I am sorry Nathanael, how am i supposed to prove that?" Chat sighed.

"Firstly you can't keep bragging about being sorry, because it loses it's impact. If you're really sorry it should be hard to say it," Nathanael explained.

"What if its hard to say and they still don't forgive you?"

Nathanael shrugged. He wasn't really prepared for these questions. "I dunno, maybe just give it time?"

"Right... time..."

Nathanael noticed how dejected Chat looked at tgis, so offered, "You know the people who love you most will forgive you pretty much no matter what."

"Yeah?"

"Sure. You've just gotta be honest. Really time is all it takes."

...

Marinette wasn't surprised to find Chat Noir in her room three days later. She was surprised it took him so long to get here. Adrien hadn't been in school yesterday either, so she was wondering what had happened.

"Hello," she said.

He smiled nervously. "Hi."

"Where have you been?" She asked.

"I thought it'd be best if I gave you some space for a while so you could come to terms with things," he said.

"That's sweet. I thought your father had looked at the security tapes and seen us there and decided to ground you."

The colour drained from her face. "Oh yeah, the tapes... I'll fix that when i get home."

"Don't go getting yourself into more trouble," she warned. "If you weren't supposed to have us over, why did you offer?"

"It was a spur of the moment thing. I wanted to spend more time with you, and Nino's never allowed round when father's there, but he wanted to see my house, and Alya - well I couldn't not invite her," Chat Noir smiled.

"No she'd have found a way to come anyway," Marinette chuckled.

"Exactly."

Chat Noir reached out to touch her hand, but stopped with his hand in the air. There was a pause, but she reached back. Their fingers brushed. Where they touched their skin tingled. She slipped her hand into his, and they ended up close together.

"Mari, i was talking to Nathanael, and he says the best way to get forgiveness is to give it time. I want to spend all my time with you, but if you want me to back away-"

He tried to take a step back but she tightened her grip and pulled him back closer to him.

"No. Look, I can forgive you tomorrow if you want but it wouldn't change anything. It's not to do with the forgiveness, it's all about the trust," she said.

"You can trust me," he promised.

"I know. Logically I know. But a little part of me doesnt believe that anymore, and that's going to be dangerous next time we fight. You have to earn that back. It's a slow and hard process, but I believe in you."

She reached up, and he leaned down, so their foreheads touched. They stayed liked that for a while, appreciating the intimacy for a change. She shut her eyes, and he watched her. How beautifully soft and innocent she looked. No one would guess someone so gentle could be someone as tough as Ladybug.

"Hey," he said, gently, so she opened her eyes. "Are we going to be ok?"

She pulled back for a moment, surprised. "Yeah! Yeah we're going to be better than ok."

She moved forwards, slithered her arms around his back, and pulled him into a hug. She laid her head against his chest, and he rested his head against hers.

"We're going to be miraculous."

...

Alya twirled her hair out of her eyes and threw her empty coffee cup in the bin. She checked her phone. Damn. At this rate she was going to be late to college! She pulled her phone out of her pocket and leapt across the wall, which made her coat swish around her ankles like a TV detective in a murder investigation.  
As she came to the road, a set of headlights flashed at her and a loud honk bleared through the noise of the street. Alya gasped and leapt back away from the kerb. The car slowed, and stopped in front of her. She heaved a sigh of relief, and climbed into the back. The door slammed shut, and the driver pulled away.

"I wasn't sure you two would find me," she said.

"Of course we'd find you! Foxes arent that illusive," Marinette laughed.

"Hey, foxes are as illusive as we are cunning!" Trixx argued defensively.

Alya scratched her kwami behind the ear gently, "calm down Trixxy, you havent finished your sandwich yet."

Plagg leaned over the back of the seat and looked over at Trixx. "Dont bury it in the back seat this time!"

"I told you i was going to get it back later! I just forgot where i put it," she muttered.

"Keep an eye out for Nino, Lord knows where he's gotten to," Adrien said.

"Chloe said she was going to get as close to college as she could before transforming, he might have gone with her," Alya suggested.

"That sounds like something Wayzz would say," Tikki agreed.

The six of them scowered the streets for the last of their group, trying to find him down some alley or something. As it turned out he and Chloe were sitting outside the cafe beside college, feeding their kwamis and waiting for the others to arrive. The moment Alya spotted Nino she threw the door open and grabbed Trixx. Trixx yelped as she was dragged away from where she was hiding the last of her sandwich in the backseat.

"WAIT UNTIL THE CAR STOPS!" Marinette cried but it was too late. Alya was gone.

Adrien chuckled to himself as he stopped the car by the kerb and parked up. Marinette looked at him, appauled by Alyas actions.

"One of these days shes going to get seriously hurt!" She sighed.

"Thats what they used to say about us," he chuckled.

"We did get hurt," she argued.

"But we were always there for each other and we'll be there for Alya too. Hawkmoth is gone. We're safe. Stop worrying."

"But what if someone else turns up and tries to kill us?"

Adrien chuckled again. He leaned over the gap between the seats and kissed her gently on the corner of her lips. She sighed.

"I'm overreacting arent i?" She said.

He smiled and kissed her cheek again. "I love you anyway."

"I love you too."

Tikki cooed and Plagg groaned in disgust. Adrien laughed at both of them. He moved to open his car door, but she grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"Hey!"

He leaned back and shut the door behind him. "What?"

She grinned at him, "I told you we'd be ok."

Adrien smiled back at her, "Nah, we're better than that."

"Yeah," Plagg agreed, smiling at Tikki.

Tikki smiled back at Plagg and blushed affectionately, "We're miraculous."


End file.
